Affect Circumplex
by Lubricht
Summary: During the Isolation Era of Juno, a secret hidden from humanity has been discovered; setting into motion a series of events that spiral out control and involving multiple characters in the process. Extreme OC and Bonuses. Set 3 Years BEFORE Pscyhographics
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer**

**Ragnarok Online **belongs to their respective copyright owners. The only ones that belong to me are the character names and the scenario that they all get involved with.

This work is totally fictional. Any resemblances to people, associations, and names are totally coincidental. No profit has been made by creating this fan fiction.

**Notes**

This is my second fan fiction for **Ragnarok Online**, following my previous work entitled, "Psychographics". I am always open to any kind of criticism and review, so feel free to do so after reading the first chapter. I take into consideration my reader's thoughts and feelings as well.

After my friends discussed about the possibilities in the RO universe and Psychographics' storyline, we decided to create a prequel of sorts, a back story telling the events that transpired before Psychographics.

**Affect Circumplex**

Prologue

Humanity has grown arrogant just like the gods that created them.

Progress made the gods react vehemently to the audacity of humanity to stop the inevitable. From the beginning of time, the gods greatly feared the intelligence they had given humanity may surpass even that of their own. In order to suppress the growth of such intelligence, humanity's progress must be stunted, pruned, and modified to the liking of the gods. The gods have done so in the past, such as separating humanity by changing their languages and dispersing them throughout the world.

The gods will never hesitate to punish humanity when their own existence was at stake. Both beings will never be considered equal. What humanity lacks is mainly the fault of the tampering of the gods themselves; afraid to be overtaken by their own creations. The gods are arrogant since time immemorial, thus humanity inherited such a pointless and despicable trait.

But arrogance has its uses for humanity that greatly baffled the gods themselves.

_-Excerpt from Knowing Your True Origin, authored by Nahum Lhakk, Scholar of Hugel_

**Western Juno Plains, 50km from Einbroch Border, 2:26 AM**

"They're hiding something from us, Vhie." revealed a linen-clad man in his early twenties to his friend. He had chestnut-colored hair fixed cleanly on the sides, and spoke with a straight but calm voice. "I know you're still baffled, but I'm sure that you have arrived at the same conclusion as well."

"You don't need to tell." answered a female clad in the same clothes worn by the male. She was about the same age as her friend, had auburn hair that reached down to her waist which was neatly clipped on the left side of her nape. She spoke full of self-assurance. "I understood what I saw earlier, Eilmahn. The Handlers are hiding the truth from everyone associated with The Expedition."

"What do we do from this point?" Eilmahn inquired to his work accomplice. "We can't go back to Juno anymore…"

"I don't care if even we lose our positions in that place." Vhie replied immediately. "I will sacrifice everything at my disposal to ensure the future of my loved ones. I will save everyone… no, the entire world."

"You're overanalyzing the situation, Vhie…"

"Think whatever you like… I can use you if I wanted to."

"Then why didn't you leave me out there earlier?"

"I had to help you of course. The rest of the guys from our faction will grieve greatly if we lose an important member."

"Nah, they wouldn't… after all, I am easily replaceable."

"Tell that to our superiors, you shallow-minded goat."

"You know that petty insults like that don't work on me…"

"I'm free to speak my mind, aren't I? I don't remember any restrictions about that in the faction's rules..."

"Suit yourself."

"We need to go. You'll take the North Route, correct?"

"Yes. I'm more familiar with the topography of the North."

"See you later then, partner."

"Partner, eh? Nobody called me that before."

"Just… go. I need to reach Einbroch immediately. Just… one last thing, though."

"What?"

"Don't get killed."


	2. Chapter 1

**Affect Circumplex**

Chapter 1: A Ripple within the Void

Juperos, an advanced civilization that existed long before the foundation of the Kingdom of Prontera, was once a floating island located on the North of Midgard. A piece of an artifact called The Heart of Ymir kept the whole island afloat, generating enough power throughout its entire existence.

One of its brilliant (or rather, mad) scientists, Vesper Newton, was experimenting with the possibilities that the Heart of Ymir could generate. Thoughts and notions passed through his mind, as his ideas grew from simple energy reactors to humanoid robot sentries and the possibility of an entire army powered by the pieces of the Heart itself.

Vesper Newton then created the robotic guardians of Juperos himself, in order to secure areas wherein the common citizens were not allowed. He was very confident that his name will be remembered in history as the great scientist that revolutionized Technomancy, a discipline fusing mechanics and arcane sorcery.

But his success was not meant to be.

During one of Vesper Newton's experiments, the piece of the Heart reacted violently and threatened to explode due to an overload in the floatation apparatus that he was developing. The scientist attempted to salvage the situation, executing all of his failsafe plans and backups, but to no avail.

The piece of the Heart finally succumbed to the tremendous pressure within the depths of Juperos and exploded with a catastrophic force, killing almost everyone in the floating island immediately due to extreme radiation.

Vesper Newton somehow miraculously survived the initial explosion, and continued still to maneuver the island by any means to keep it afloat. He was able to do so in the last remaining minutes of his life, as he was successful in salvaging three fragments of the Heart and then installing them immediately to the three islands about to disconnect from Juperos.

Vesper Newton died seeing Juperos' structures crumble one by one, people running around in panic, some crying, some wailing, some desperate enough to jump to their deaths on the island's edge, and some people blaming him till the last few seconds of his life.

As the last trace of energy blinked out of the apparatus that kept Juperos afloat, the island crashed with tremendous force in an area now known as the El Mes Plateau, killing any survivors left on the island except for the robotic guardians that Vesper Newton created. The three islands installed with the Heart fragments, however, were able to survive the tragedy, and remained afloat. It now overlooked the cavern where its parent island crashed.

The survivors of the civilization of Juperos were mostly Sages and Scholars. Horrified by the events that transpired, they decided to keep the area where Juperos crashed restricted to anyone.

In fact, they were so frightened of the outside world that they decided to isolate the three remaining islands of Juperos from any other influence.

The citizens that survived the cataclysm reconstructed what was left of the rubble, and then proceeded to connect the three islands together to create a new nation.

Today, that nation is known as Juno.

_-Excerpt from the Annals of Odin, Located in the Divine Library of Asgard_

**Juno Engineering Facility-Hugel Branch, Hugel Village, 15km from Abyss Lake**

Years before the Airship was invented, the citizens of Midgard treaded the land on foot or by mount. The people of Juno however, were more creative. The Scholars installed small fragments of the Heart on their footwear, making them walk as if the pull of gravity lessened. They can now jump higher than usual, and run a lot faster. Since then, walking people were rarely seen within the vicinity of Juno. The only beings that remained "grounded" were the guards of the isolated nation.

Juno's Engineering Facility was still researching materials for the creation of lightweight but durable materials. As their pathfinders discovered the abundance of a malleable element abundant on the east side of Abyss Lake, near the village known as Hugel, The Facility mobilized a group of Scholars, engineers, and workers to excavate the area.

A special division within the group, simply known as the Communications Division, maintained the relay of information from the excavation site to the main office.

Taking a quick break from the excavation, a member of the Communications Division made its way towards a structure easily recognizable as their group's headquarters. "Is it lunch already?" the twenty-something male thought, as sweat trickled down to his cheeks. The male had ashen hair, and light-blue eyes. "I wonder what's on the menu…"

"Hey! Savech! You're late!" screamed a voice coming from the headquarters' door. Focusing his eyes on the door, the male was able to distinguish the form of the person calling him. There, standing beside the door while waving its hand was a slender female about the same age as the sweating male. She had short, blonde hair that was arranged on the back as if they were peacock feathers. On further inspection, she had light-brown eyes, and a fair complexion. She was a perfect beauty basing on the sweating man's standards. "The others are waiting! Come on!"

"So that's why you're missing from the site, Althii." the sweating man answered. "You deliberately skipped our schedule for that briefing!"

"What briefing?" Althii replied with visible confusion "The scheduled briefing is tomorrow, you numbskull."

"W-wait, what? Seriously? Then I just spent the whole morning…"

"…Standing at the still-abandoned site? Goodness gracious."

"Sigh, I should really check the timetable twice."

"You can do that later. We'll all talk and eat inside. Come on."

"Great. I needed that."

Upon entering the Division headquarters' door, Savech was immediately greeted by three more members. Seated on the sides of the rectangular table were two eighteen year-old males that looked extremely alike, giving the impression that they were twins, and a twenty-one year old, bespectacled female. The twins possessed short, brown hair and lavender-colored eyes. The older female who was wearing glasses had long, blonde hair in contrast to that of Althii. The female fixed her glasses in recognition to Savech, revealing that she had blue-colored eyes. She wore a distinctive uniform that accentuated her curves that made most of the workers drool.

"Oh… so you're all here already." Savech sighed heavily. "Anyway… what's on the menu?"

"You can ask the resident chef, my cookie…" answered the blonde female. "She's still in the kitchen, so hurry up."

"W-wait… did you just call Savech, "cookie"?" Althii raised her voice in disagreement. "W-where did THAT come from, Miss Lieutenant?" she told the bespectacled blonde.

"Come now, Althii… just call me Flireis when we're not working…" answered the blonde Lieutenant. "…and besides, I can call anyone "cookie", right?"

"She's right." the browned-haired twins butted in at the same time. "You're just jealous aren't you, Althii?" the twins continued.

"W-what are you talking about? Nelsvee? Nellyne?" Althii stammered as she spoke, her cheeks blushing profusely. "Why would I—"

"Hey, Siria!" Savech shouted suddenly, cutting Althii from finishing her sentence. "What's on the menu?" Savech asked the long and white-haired female with a bandana affixed on her head. Looking behind, the female is revealed to have deep, brown, and somewhat-longing eyes that made her look sick and weary.

"Just…" Siria, the resident chef, started with a soft voice. "… just some spicy condor meat, topped with melted goat cheese." she continued.

"That looks delicious! Don't mind me if I do!" Savech squealed, immediately taking the plate that Siria offered him. The resident chef just smiled in return, and proceeded to prepare her own share of the meal. "Uhm… is everyone seated?" she asked.

"Yes. Please sit and eat with us, Siria…" the bespectacled Lieutenant requested. "…and please seat beside the twins. They can get a bit… dirty."

"Hey… that's not nice!" the twins snapped back in disdain. "We can feed each other quite well…"

"I'm not so sure about that…" Althii added; her voice doubtful. "The last time you did that, the whole floor was a mess with spilled juice and food!"

Savech couldn't help but laugh at them, but was momentarily distracted by the delicious food that was served in front of them. "Please start the blessing, Althii."

The group started eating the midday meal.

"So, what's the news?" Savech asked the Lieutenant. "I heard that there was unauthorized entry inside Juno Academy."

"Not much is known about the infiltration, cookie." Lieutenant Flireis responded after taking another mouthful of food. "Anyway, Siria…"

"Yes? What is it, Lieutenant?" inquired the white-haired chef. "Is anything wrong?"

"No, it's nothing. I just want to say that your recipes are quite good!" the bespectacled Lieutenant answered back. "I could give you a recommendation to work at the main branch's kitchen!"

"But… I…" Siria stammered. "I'm more… comfortable working with all of you."

"Aww, isn't that sweet?" Althii commented. "And besides, we'll all miss your delicious cooking if you leave." she continued.

"Neh, don't you have any possible suspects regarding the reported infiltration?" the twins questioned the rest. "It's just… a little unsettling."

"There is none in my head, so far…" Lieutenant Flireis answered. "…though the reports said that something was stolen from the Academy."

"Stolen? What was stolen?" Savech asked after gulping a shot of fruit juice. "Why wasn't this included in the report I received?"

"Savech…" the Lieutenant stopped him from talking. "You are not privy to such high-level information."

"It turns out that way..." Savech answered in defeat. Sighing heavily, he continued eating. He stopped short of devouring the food when he noticed something about the white haired chef. "H-hey… Siria…"

"Hmm? What… what is it?" Siria asked, her expression a little bit surprised. "is something wrong with the food?"

"No, it's great… But I just noticed something, though" Savech replied honestly.

"My, my… cookie." The Lieutenant goaded Savech on. "You keep on staring at Siria like that, and I'll be really jealous."

Siria's face flushed. She immediately hid her face in her palms and hung her head. Althii on the other hand was not amused.

"H-hey! Watch it!" Althii tried to defend her own sanity. "You can't just make pairings in thin air, Lieutenant!"

"Pairings? You're the only one thinking that way, Althii." mentioned the twins in unison.

"Now, now, Nelsvee… Nellyne. Cut it out. Didn't you notice something about Siria today?" Savech told the group, trying to calm them down.

"What's wrong with me?" Siria asked, her voice getting inaudible.

"Actaully, nothing. Just stand up so all of them can see." Savech told the chef.

"Oh…ok." Siria responded quietly.

After standing up, Savech placed his hand atop Siria's head.

"See that, everyone?" Savech presented Siria to the group, his hand still on top of her white-haired head. "You barely noticed, huh?"

"Oh gosh… did she just…" Althii was at a loss for words.

"Hmm… so that's it. Good!" The Lieutenant commented.

"Siria just got taller! Siria just got taller!" the twins cheered.

The white-haired chef, noticing her friend's delight, looked upwards to Savech, who then smiled at her, making her face flushed even more. She sighed, and calmly took Savech's hand off her head.

"Oh, sorry." Savech apologized to the chef. "You didn't notice it at all, eh?"

"No, that's ok…" responded Siria calmly. "I just…"

"Don't sweat it, Siria." Althii said. "Savech can be such a jerk at times."

Siria nodded, as if agreeing to Althii's statement. Savech stood up in protest, but was then subdued by the Lieutenant, making him sit down again. The twins kept feeding each other, taking care not to spill anything.

"About the stolen item from the Academy…" Flireis mentioned after the meal. "The reports mention that it's a magical tome."

"A magical tome?" Savech inquired. "What's the subject of the tome, then?"

"Technomancy." The Lieutenant replied calmly. Everyone inside the room fell silent.

**North Abyss Lake, 5km from Thanatos Tower, 20km from Hugel**

Abyss Lake has existed for millennia as far as the records of the inhabitants of Juperos are concerned. It was just a short trip from the giant tower on the north which housed the memory of the great warrior, the champion of mankind, Thanatos.

The lake was the home of multiple races of dragons, notably Ferus and Novus, as well as the Hydrolancer and the deadly Deutarderus. Anyone who managed to take a stroll within the cave's depth will never return alive, according to local lore. Deutarderus is believed to devour anything, in order to guard an untold amount of gold within the deepest cavern of the lake.

"Running" swiftly across the rugged and marshy terrain of the Lake was a trio of rogue excavation workers. They wore the casual uniform designated for their position, and carrying with them a large, sealed bag.

"Where are we going, Lenard?" frantically asked one of the rogue workers who had a huge scar in his cheek. He had gray hair and yellowish eyes. "What are we going to do with THAT thing you're carrying?"

"Will you just shut up, Harvey?" Lenard snapped back with rage. He had fiery, red eyes and dark-brown hair. "Just make sure that nobody is following us!"

"Seriously, Lenard…" said another rogue worker who wore work goggles. He had jet-black hair and green eyes. "What is THAT thing, really?"

"You mean THIS thing, Xavier? It will give us all the fame and fortune we can ever want!" Lenard shouted with glee. "Those fools from the Division, they don't even know what's happening underneath their noses."

"THAT thing is expensive?" Harvey questioned further. "I had no idea…"

"Well of course, it's expensive, you idiot!" Xavier shouted to the other worker.

"THIS thing…" Lenard began. "THIS thing is the source of power everyone wanted, and we finally have a piece of it! Hahaha! With this, we can become independent from those fools from Juno!"

"Lenard! I see… Thanatos Tower… up ahead!" Xavier exclaimed, panting.

"Don't tell me we're going to…" Harvey said in confusion.

"We're going to take a break from all the running, guys!" Lenard declared. "Both of you, head towards Thanatos Tower! Double Time!"

Lightning and thunder raced in the sky, as the clouds threatened to pour a heavy load of rain. The trio was now on their way to their own freedom.

**The City of Lighthalzen, 12km from Einbroch, 30km from Juno**

It was just another typical day in Lighthalzen.

It was so typical, so cliché, that people who lived inside the walls that separated them from the poor took their easy lives for granted.

There was extreme segregation in Lighthalzen. Only the upper and middle class families were able to afford the housing fees, creating a rift between them and the poor living on the right side of the city, near the Somatology Lab.

Speeding on his bicycle was a young male on the way to his client's house. His job was plain and simple, and quite stereotypical. He was delivery boy.

But according to his clients, he was no ordinary delivery boy at all. He always brings their requested items and effects with such speed and accuracy. He has never missed a schedule in his entire career. The citizens of Lighthalzen from all societal status have dubbed him with a single name.

Ether Brake.

What made the citizens name him as such was not only because of his speed and accuracy in delivery, but because of his somewhat unique way of delivering things. He drove his bicycle with a speed comparable to a Grand Peco trained for racing. One thing was peculiar about his bicycle, though.

His bicycle had no brakes.

Typically, one would crash and burn at the thought, but Ether Brake makes no difference from a normal bicycle to his trusty no-brakes one. He will drive and drive until his legs get tired for the day, which rarely happens. He has this energy of the typical teen.

He was too energetic for his own good.

"Good morning, Madam!" greeted a cheery looking seventeen year-old to his client. The young male had short brown hair, and apricot-colored eyes. "Here's the delivery you requested! Delivered safe and sound…"

"Thank you very much, Arnulf." the young lady with long, wavy black locks said. "Please, don't call me Madam, ok? We're of the same age! Call me Audrey!"

"I have to, Madam!" Arnulf replied immediately. "I'm just following the company protocol!"

"You're so silly." Audrey told the super compliant delivery boy. "Next time, ok?"

"Yes, Madam!"

"Hey, Arnulf…" the young lady suddenly called out to him.

"Anything else, Madam?" was the lad's default answer.

"Please drop by tonight."

"Why?"

"I have something to give you."

"Is it… for delivery?"

"Silly… it's for you."

"Oh. Thanks a lot then."

"You can tell that later when you get your gift."

"I'll make sure to finish my job early today."

"Good luck, Arnulf."

"See you later then, Madam."

It was just a typical day. So typical, it bothers Arnulf to no end. Every lady he met in this city offered him gifts as a sign of gratitude for his hard work and dedication.

But Audrey's gift was the most special.

Racing through the cemented streets of Lighthalzen, Arnulf the Ether Brake proceeded to his next client with a big smile present in his face. "It's going to be a long day. I better finish early." he told himself.

Meanwhile, Audrey remained outside her house to open the recently received package. She smiled for a second, stared at the contents, and then closed the package neatly. She then went back inside; waiting for Arnulf to come back after his job was finished. "He'll surely love it." she said to herself.

**The City of Rachel, Capital of Arunafeltz, 2km from Ice Dungeon**

Reports of increased activity within the caverns of the Ice Dungeon alarmed the devout servants of Rachel Temple. Is the guardian angry? Did we do something that offended the goddess, Freya? Did anyone tamper with the seal within the dungeon?

The Pope of Rachel, a young female chosen by the clergy of the temple, saw to it that the devout followers of the Freyan Religion were to be calmed and briefed about the true nature of the situation.

Calling for an immediate meeting, the Pope gathered her most trusted clergymen, and instructed them to investigate. She then proceeded to talk to the troubled followers of the Temple.

"Your eyes show weary, my countrymen." the Pope addressed the crowd. She wore linen and silk robes that hid her features, sometimes making her gender ambiguous to everyone unless she speaks. She had long and wavy white hair that reached up to her ankles, the trademark of every Pope that ever ruled the Temple of Freya. "I know the source of that weariness."

The people responded to her address with moans and wails, mentioning the possibility of the Great Fire Seal within the Ice Dungeon might be weakening.

"Do not be alarmed, my people." the Pope continued. "I have sent elite members of the clergy investigate the strange phenomenon."

Seemingly satisfied with her answer, the follower's voices died out naturally, and listened to the Pope as she began her sermon.

"The world is changing, as you may have noticed. We, the faithful servants and followers of Freya, must not falter with our duties. We have been entrusted with the welfare of Arunafeltz, and there is nothing in this world that will stop us from serving the least of our brethren. We will do all that we can to help for everyone, rich or poor, healthy or sick."

The followers bowed their heads in unison, openly accepting their Pope's message in their hearts. The Pope then continued with her sermon.

"Do not worry devout followers of Freya. The great goddess shall not abandon those who love, worship, and follow her with all their hearts. She will give rest to the weary, justice to the oppressed, and strength to the weak. Our goddess will always be there to help us in times of need. When did our goddess falter? When did the great goddess forget us? Never has it happened in history since the foundation of Rachel."

The followers then raised their heads, then their hands, and clamored for the Pope. The Holy Words have reached their hearts and minds. They were now at peace. Free of weary and doubt, the followers of Freya lived with constant security of their lives, with the eternal grace of the great goddess.

"Our faith in the great goddess Freya knows no bounds, my brethren." the Pope continued. "One must put their trust fully on Freya, for she alone will listen to our grievances. She alone loves us with her whole heart, and she alone will grant us peace when we all leave this mortal plane."

The crowd of devotees chanted Freya's prayers as they sat on their knees on the Temple's marble-laden floor.

The Pope smiled at the devotees, and then headed straight to her personal suite within the temple.

"Someday, the goddess will return to this world." she told herself while staring at the giant mirror in her room.

"Freya will come down from Asgard, revive the dead that served and followed her, and grant rest on the loyal ones. She will be the shining symbol of the truth, the pure, and the loyal. She alone will deliver this world from the oppression of death, and save everyone in Rachel with her." the Pope smiled contently in front of the mirror. "She will judge the unrighteous, the bent, the wicked, and the impure."


	3. Chapter 2

**Affect Circumplex**

Chapter 2: Keeping in Touch

The Grim Librarians of Juno are the direct descendants of the survivors from Juperos. Their primary task is to record everything that takes place in Midgard as a permanent part of history. Their work never stops for the library they reside in, the Archaic Library of Juno, is updated with vast amounts of information everyday. The Grim Librarians follow a strict code of silence, just as every organization does in Juno. All the information that they gather is deemed too sensitive to be released to the public.

The Archaic Library of Juno is home to the oldest books of humankind, and contains many forbidden books in all subjects. Legend has it that if one manages to take out even a single book out of the library, the end of the world is just a few years away.

The untold powers that reside within the library are the sole responsibility of the Grim Librarians, and no else aside from their members are allowed to enter, naturally. Fail safes and protocols are extremely implemented in case an intruder do get close, or in the worst-case scenario, actually make off with a tome from the Archaic Library.

Legend also has it that Odin contacted the survivors of Juperos and instructed the very creation of the Library. If the ancient accounts are accurate, then it might as well confirm that there are books and magical tomes that were authored by the gods themselves, sealed and guarded heavily by every generation of the Grim Librarians.

_-Excerpt from the Basics of Juno, a Sage's Textbook_

**Juno Academy – Underground Observatory, 35ft beneath Juno Academy**

"What do you see now?" questioned a thirty-something Scholar with dark unruly hair to his apprentice as it looked through a scope. "Can you describe how the outside world looks like?" the Scholar questioned further.

"I'm… I'm not so sure, Sir…" replied the young sixteen year-old apprentice. "I'm quite new with the device, and I don't even know what to call those creatures located outside the barricade of Juno's Lattice."

"Are they golden in color?" asked the unruly-haired Scholar with interest.

"Yes, Sir… and it seems to be colored with blue and red."

"That, my student, is a Grand Peco."

"A Grand Peco? I have to take notes then. What are those soft-looking things that it seems to fix?"

"You mean its feathers?"

"Feathers? What are feathers, Sir?"

"Of course, I won't answer that, Jervy."

"I'm sorry for not researching thoroughly, Sir Eric."

"That's alright. We are not to rush things unnecessarily."

"May I go now? I bet it's almost lunchtime."

"Is that so? Then we'll head back in a few moments. On second thought… you go on ahead. I'll go back later."

After the apprentice Jervy left the Underground Observatory, Eric, a renowned Scholar in Juno for his superior intelligence in any subject, approached a trap door located on another side of the observatory. He climbed down towards the dark cavern which leads to the other islands of Juno.

"They're waiting. All of them." he spoke to himself as he hurried along the underground connections of tunnels that lead to various locations in Juno. After a few minutes of walking, Eric arrived on a place where people wore the same clothes he possessed.

His was a uniform for a typical Grim Librarian.

Despite being a "basic level" Librarian, Eric was deemed the greatest of all that ever existed in history due to the fact that he can read sacred lettering and translate the language of the gods into the mother tongue of which the people of Juno spoke. Though it is common gossip among the librarians themselves that Eric had constant contact with the god Odin, he never confirmed nor denied it.

After filling up his attendance, Eric made his way to his personal area of responsibility. His work resides at the deepest and farthest floor, another 35feet under the caverns of Juno. This is the section where the most forbidden books are kept and maintained, and Eric was given special permission to browse the said books and tomes by the Head Librarian, thereby giving him more knowledge every time he decided to read the voluminous pile of text.

The moment he entered the room under his care, a familiar figure greeted him at once. Totally unrecognizable in the pitch-black darkness of the room, Eric was still able to locate where the voice that greeted him came from.

"Any news, Grim Librarian Eric?" the voice asked him straightforwardly.

"I heard the rumors, my Lord." Eric answered immediately with full attention. "The officials of the academy have mentioned that a magical tome has been stolen."

**Juno's Lattice, 876m from the South Main Entrance**

"Isn't that just sad, Christine?" an apprentice wearing a laboratory coat sighed heavily as he related his feelings to his friend. "Jervy stood us up! He's late!"

"Can't we just wait for a few more minutes, Ivan?" answered the female wearing a similar laboratory coat. "Besides, Jervy is taking classes from none other than the greatest Grim Librarian ever!"

"Yeah, whatever…" Ivan replied haphazardly. "He needs to arrive within five minutes, or else…"

"…or else, what?" Christine asked her friend as she flicked her fingers. "You're going to make him treat you with some of his home-cooked meals? Give me a break, Ivan!"

"Now, now… you're just being— hey! Isn't that Jervy?"

Looking at the horizon where the South Main Entrance of Juno is, Christine confirmed what Ivan just saw. Running towards them was a young male about their age, sixteen. The apprentice had long brown hair clipped neatly at the back, and had droopy, blood-colored eyes.

"Yep, that's him, alright…" commented the female in a lab coat. She had short and wavy red hair and light-green eyes. Her face was full of honest emotions, showing how innocent she really was about the real world beyond the borders of Juno.

"You're late, again!" Ivan told the apprentice who is now panting heavily due to exhaustion. "… and don't you even exercise? You just ran a short distance, my friend!" Ivan added. He also wore the same kind of lab coat that Christine has, indicating that they are classmates of some sort. He had neatly cut auburn hair with shades of silver, as well as light-blue eyes.

"I know that already…" Jervy snapped back, still exhausted. "Anyway, why did you two decide to meet up OUT HERE? And in the lattice, no else?"

"That's because something's come up." Ivan replied instantly.

"Huh? What's coming up?" the exhausted apprentice asked with curiosity. His sweat trickled down to his chin and subsequently hit the stone floor a few seconds later.

"Didn't you notice anything weird from our instructors?" Christine pointed out the fact. "They seem to be more active than usual. This is a rare phenomenon, I tell you."

"But they're already weird, guys… think a bout it." Jervy told the other two.

"You have a point there, Mr. Apprentice." the wavy-haired female agreed to the previous statement. "But it really feels a little bit off."

"Yeah, it sure is weird around the Academy right now." Ivan pointed out as well. "Today, the instructors dismissed us way too early due to an emergency meeting of the entire faculty. What's up with that?"

"You're thinking way too much, Ivan." Jervy noted. "It's just an ordinary meeting! What else is there?"

"Sigh, you're pretty innocent aren't you, Jervy?" the female once again noted. "The instructors rarely hold emergency meetings!"

"And so?" Jervy questioned with sarcasm. "What meaning do we draw from such actions?"

"Something IS wrong!" Ivan tried to make a point, but Jervy ignored it.

"Can you guys be… a little more conclusive?" Jervy requested the two people wearing lab coats. "You just ranted about the emergency meetings and suspect something out of it. What are you? Conspiracy theorists?"

"There is a conspiracy, you idiot!" Ivan leered at Jervy. Unaffected, he tried another one, but still failed.

"That won't work on me, Ivan." Jervy said with a sarcastic facial expression. "What evidence do you have to support your claims?"

"The barricade." Christine spoke with a cold and toned voice.

"Huh? What about the barricade?" the apprentice asked, wide-eyed.

"Just listen, Jervy. Listen." Ivan stopped him from reacting further.

"Didn't it ever occur to you WHY we are never allowed to leave Juno at all?" Christine began. "Why is there a barricade surrounding the entrance of the Lattice? Why do our instructors never allow us to explore whatever is beyond the horizon? Are they afraid of something? If so, then what is it? Are they hiding a secret from us? If so, then aren't we knowledgeable enough to be trusted, told upon, and safeguard such a deep and dark secret? Why won't the Academy instructors ever mention about our history, lineage, or even our heritage? What are they hiding? Why are they hiding it?"

Christine stopped talking. Ivan and Jervy stood frozen where they stood, thinking about her statements carefully. Jervy tried to answer her, but suddenly, the bell signaling the start of another class sounded off.

**Juno Academy Faculty Room**

"Good afternoon, my fellow instructors." greeted a seventy year-old man with short gray hair. He was wearing different attire from the other instructors present, indicating that he was of higher status. "Please take your seats as we to begin the meeting."

The other instructors immediately followed the old man's instructions, and sat around the Faculty's Common Table.

Taking a deep breath, the old man began to speak.

"To make it clear to everyone, I am Klaus von Streisand, the Head Librarian of Juno's Archaic Library." he opened up his speech with a booming voice. "It is my great sorrow to report to you that a magical tome was stolen from the library around two hours after midnight."

The entire faculty gasped in disbelief. The Archaic Library has been breached. Voices of panicked instructors echoed in the room, but the Head Librarian calmed them down immediately.

"I want to inform you the specifics of the stolen tome, for I don't want you to fear something what you do not fully understand." von Streisand resumed his speech.

"The stolen tome is entitled, "Glacialis Trucido", which roughly translates to Frozen Massacre, according to Grim Librarian Eric. It is a tome authored by none other than our Almighty Father and Creator, Odin."

The faculty was about to stand up and ask questions, but stopped halfway at the sight of von Streisand's stern expression. No one dared to question his authority.

"We are in grave danger, my fellowmen. If the tome is not returned immediately, I doubt that Odin will be pleased at all. Currently, the sentries positioned at the barricades detected movement in their scopes. The supposed perpetrator of this grievous and unforgivable act is alone and heading towards Veins."

"Are we to relay this information to everyone?" questioned a faculty member.

"No, I'm afraid you can't. The tome itself is highly confidential, sensitive in the highest sense. You can consider it a great privilege to have known even a single title among the vast collection of sacred tomes housed within the archives of the Archaic Library.

"Has the perpetrator been identified?" inquired another member.

"From the descriptions of the sentries, there can only be one being capable of breaking into Juno and escape without much resistance."

Cold sweat was now forming at the backs of the faculty members, for they knew that only a single being was able to break through the magical barrier that separated Juno from the influence of the outside world.

It was certainly not The Divider, nor the famed Blur that has been wandering around Midgard and killing people at daybreak. The Midnight Messenger was totally benign, if not, passive.

"You know about him, right? You all have known a brief background about him when you all started as students in your early days." von Streisand confirmed his thoughts with those of the faculty. "I see no point why we should be afraid of him, with Lord Odin on our side."

The faculty members breathed out a heavy sigh of relief, and then swore an oath to the Head Librarian to never divulge the sensitive information that they had just learned. After the emergency meeting, all but one instructor remained in the room, and headed to von Streisand's location.

"Do you know where Eric is?" the lone faculty member inquired the Head Librarian. "I need to talk to him as soon as possible."

"You seem to have some business with our famous Librarian, Sir Brifon… or should I say… Marcus Brifon, one of the four Lords of Morroc?"

"I have no qualm either way. All I need is to talk to him now. Time is of the essence. Where is he?" the Lord answered, his voice a little bit sore.

"Growing old aren't we, Lord Brifon?" von Streisand teased the man who was about the same age as him. "Being seventy or so, I suppose you still have enough strength to breach the barriers of Juno and back."

"That, I cannot speak of, you know that as well, Klaus." Lord Marcus answered back. "Besides, things are not going quite well with my experiments with the local guinea pigs. I came here for information, and I will have it."

"Suit yourself, Lord Marcus. Anyway… how's the Seal of Morroc?"

"Still inactive I must say… it will take years until it fully breaks to reanimate Morroc's soul into a perfect host."

"You seem happy. Did you find the perfect host for this generation?"

"That, I did. He is currently in Morroc, training with the other Stalkers."

"I see… and who could the perfect vessel be?"

"His name is… Red Viele'au Sylenfeit. The Lords saw that The Criteria resided within him, so we dispatched him a few years ago and implanted the Dormant Spirit of Morroc in a piece of Ancient Material, so he can become the Divider sooner or later."

"You plan on… controlling Morroc once he fully awakes, right?"

"If all goes according to my plan, then yes."

"I suppose you'll leave Juno alone?"

"Juno has the largest repository of thoughts that are immortalized in the books of humanity. I shall not touch this city no matter what."

"Thank you for your kind consideration, Lord Brifon."

"My thanks also go out to you, von Streisand… but first… tell me where Eric is, for the matter is very urgent."

"Did the Midnight Messenger tell you the future again?"

"Yes. But I cannot dally much further. I need to go."

"Eric is inside the Archaic Library. His office is located at the four hundred and fourth basement of the Main Branch Line. Once you enter the facility, just identify yourself and they'll immediately let you in."

"Fascinating. Did you order that to your men specifically?"

"Kind off… but of course, they wouldn't tell you. They swore an oath of absolute silence, just like what you ask from your guinea pigs in Morroc."

"Heh… then I'll see you later then, von Streisand."

"Make the world a better place, Lord Brifon… as soon as possible."

**Veins, the Canyon Village, 10km from Rachel, the Capital of Arunafeltz**

Remember the "Hetarium Rush"?

During the early days of the rediscovery of Veins by geologists-slash-merchants looking for the energy source more abundant and valuable than coal, they have found a bustling little village filled with devout followers of Freya.

They were not ordinary citizens, in the standards of Midgard, though. The citizens of Veins lived in a canyon village. Whether the canyon was naturally created by the desert sandstorms or carved out of the rock by the ancient inhabitants, the geologists of this modern day and age have no concrete answer yet.

People poured in the desert town like rain when they all heard the new source of power, wealth, and steady livelihood. The natives of Veins naturally accepted the newcomers, for they thought of Hetarium as a blessing from the goddess, Freya.

There was no point in not sharing when Hetarium, a black mineral that shone with different colors when struck by sunlight, was ubiquitous as grass within the area of Veins.

Overlooking the canyon village is none other than Thor's Volcano.

While rumor has it that there is a giant factory within the hidden caverns of the volcano, nobody was able to confirm the information at all. Ever since the increased activity of the "fire spirits" bothered the natives, stories telling that the god himself might be punishing humans for desecrating his sacred place. Nobody then dared to enter the entrance to the said volcano.

Currently, the entrance to Thor's Volcano is barricaded and guarded by local sentries. The business is booming as usual, and there are still a lot of people that pass through Veins everyday.

So while you're at it, come visit this village, no, this booming city within the expanse of Arunafeltz!

_-Excerpt from a Tourist's Guide to Arunafeltz, available in all Kafra Outlets_

"How's your business doing, Shahiv?" asked a thirty-something man to his friend who was selling ripe fruits in his market stand. "Veins sure is hot, these days huh?"

"You got that right, Braer…" answered the fruit vendor wistfully. He was around the same age as the man talking to him.. "It's been like this for what, a millennia?"

"Haha… and the people still keep flocking towards this "gold" mine."

"You can never expect anything with people whose brains are filled with Hetarium."

"Haha! You're quite sharp, Shahiv…"

"So, why have you come here all the way from Rachel?"

"I need to ask you something."

"Is it really that important?"

"Listen to me closely. Ok? Keep quiet."

Placing his cupped hands near his friend's ear, Braer began to whisper and asked the fruit vendor.

"Have you heard the rumors?"

"You mean… about THAT facility?"

"The people of Rachel are getting uneasy."

"Uneasy? Why?"

"I received reports confirming increased activity within Ice Dungeon."

"Does that mean—"

"Ktullanux is getting upset."

"But that rarely happens! If that's true, then—"

"Then the Volcano is connected somehow."

"I've heard of rampaging "fire spirits", but this is ridiculous!"

"It might be connected to that facility the townsfolk are talking about."

"Has nobody confirmed its existence yet?"

"None. Nobody dares to enter or even get near the barricade."

"Something's wrong here."

"You think so, too?"

"Those barricades… they look like—"

"You're not saying—"

"Yes. They look like the same barricades placed in Juno's border."

"Until now, Juno has isolated itself from the rest of the world. It's been millennia since the last Scholar visited the area around Arunafeltz or even the Kingdom of Rune-Midgard."

"Did you see anyone who looks suspicious?"

"How would I know? Everyone here looks suspicious!"

"You have a point."

"But if you really mean suspicious…"

"Wait… did you notice one?"

"There is this one guy… I got the heebie-jeebies about him."

"Can I trust that heebie-jeebies of yours?"

"I've never been wrong, right?"

"True, that."

"So, you want to hear about this guy?"

"Sure."

"He does look like a human at first glance… but if you look closely…"

"Huh?"

"His ears are pointy; you'll be led to believe he's an elf."

"An elf? Are you even sure it's not just a birth defect?"

"I know a birth defect when I see one."

"He couldn't be an elf, you can see him straightforward."

"Right. Elves are shorter than humans… but this guy… is way too tall."

"You think he's…"

"…One of the ancient race of giants?"

"Aren't they extinct or living in another dimension… or something like that?"

"Correct. If I remember correctly… that place's name is…. Jo… Jo…"

"Jotünheim."


	4. Chapter 3

**Affect Circumplex**

Chapter 3: Stitching the Threads of a Catastrophe

**Thanatos Tower, 5km from Abyss Lake, 20km from Hugel**

Outside the ancient walls of Thanatos Tower sat three men circled in discussion. They wore a certain Engineering Facility's casual work clothes, but somehow, their current attitude doesn't fit well with the uniform they're wearing. The three seemed to be resting from running quite a long distance.

"We're going to be rich, I tell you. Rich!" Lenard boasted to the other two who earlier decided to follow him in the escape from the excavation site. "Those idiots don't know what this material is for! Haha! Working blindly and getting paid? I'm not going to be enslaved by those bastards!" he went on, shaking a small pouch as it dangled between his thumb and index finger.

"But is that really right what you did back there, Lenard?" Xavier questioned their "leader" who kept on talking about "freedom" after all these hours. "You killed five workers on our way out!"

"Correction, Xavier… Lenard left one of them breathing!" Harvey pointed out. For a while now, he had been the one carrying the large bag of loot that Lenard stole from the excavation. Actually, he really had no idea what was going on. "I had no choice but to follow both of you, lest I be blamed for those murders!"

"You softies!" Lenard snarled back at the two. He glared at each of them, making sure his presence as their "leader" was felt immediately. "That last guy we left bleeding will die sooner or later! And what's there to be sorry for? Their lives? Heck freezes over, and we'll just be like them! If we didn't escape at all, then our lives will be just trash in that excavation project!"

The other two kept to themselves from then on, and remained to listen to Lenard blabbering about his plans.

But their rest was not for long.

Before Xavier and Harvey could panic, Lenard immediately told them to stay quiet and focused. Coming from behind the bushes was the sound of leaves getting trampled. No sounds of anything else. It couldn't be an animal, according to Lenard's line of thought. He instinctively drew out a pocketknife and aimed at the direction of the sound.

The source of the sound then came out of the bushes. What Lenard saw afterwards made him aim his pocketknife higher.

"Well, well…" Lenard began to speak towards the uninvited visitor. "If it isn't you, my friend…"

The person being aimed at was a young man clad in linen. The looks between their eyes clearly show that they are friends… or something more than that.

"Comrade!" the man shouted at Lenard. "It's me, Eilmahn! Don't you recognize me at all?"

Lenard laughed at the thought. "Comrade?" Spitting on his side, he then walked closer towards Eilmahn and continued to aim his pocketknife at him. "Yes, we were comrades… what was I thinking? Haha!"

"Vhie is worried about you! She went to Einbroch to meet up with you!"

"Oh? Is that true, Eilmahn?"

"Why would I lie? Anyway… who are those other two behind you?"

"Those two? They're useless pigs. Don't mind them."

"If you say so… Hey, is that loot? May I see it? Vhie will be so gl—"

"Hands off, you piece of—!"

Swiping his pocketknife, Lenard lunged forward to attack Eilmahn. Quick on his feet, Eilmahn was able to dodge his blows and managed to knock him off balance with a kick in the face. Lenard's little loot bag fell off from his waist and made a metallic sound when it hit the ground. A breeze came in, revealing the contents of Lenard's loot.

What Eilmahn saw made him doubtful of Lenard's intentions. The man is not on his right mind anymore, as his thoughts tell him. Still sprawled on the ground, Lenard managed to gain some of his consciousness back. Harvey and Xavier remained still on the sideline, afraid to engage Eilmahn in any way, shape, or form.

"You… useless pigs…" Lenard remarked at his two lackeys. "Do something and teach that kid a lesson, will you?"

"You're on your own, Lenard!" Xavier snapped back. "Real men fight one-on-one! I have no wish to be kicked in the face!"

"I'll kick you in the face later, then!" Lenard growled. "You! Harvey! Get him!"

"No can do, Lenny…" Harvey replied with a sigh. "I'm not built for melee combat."

"It seems like your "henchmen" know what to do in this kind of situation…" Eilmahn stooped over and placed his foot on Lenard's head. "You're crazy Lenard. You've gone so low…"

"Crazy?" Lenard answered with dismay. He continued to struggle, trying to remove Eilmahn's foot out of his face. "You're the one who's crazy! You don't even know what THAT thing is for!"

"You mean your tiny bag of Hetarium?" Eilmahn pointed out to the man being crushed by his foot. "Do you know how dangerous Hetarium can be if handled improperly?"

"Haha! Then you absolutely have no idea!" Lenard replied with sarcasm. "You don't know what Hetarium is capable of doing!"

"What are you—"

"Look closely at the spilled contents, Eilmahn! Look closely!"

"The contents? What are you… hey… It can't be! That's not… that's not what it I think it is… right?"

Using the spilled loot to distract Eilmahn, Lenard immediately pushed away his "comrade's" foot and kicked him down in return. Lenard then bent over and aimed his pocketknife at Eilmahn's neck.

"Do you understand now, Eilmahn?" Lenard began with a mocking tone. "Do you now realize what Hetarium is for?"

"You can't be planning to—" Eilmahn staggered.

"I guess you really do understand, Eilmahn. Something good happens to Hetarium when it is subjected to extreme heat and pressure! Its form changes! Its properties change! It becomes something else! Something FAR more valuable than Hetarium's worth itself!"

"You can't be serious, Lenard… if that's true then—"

"Then what? The whole world will know? Why of course, my friend. Isn't that the reason why our faction was formed? We let the truth be known to everyone… but this… I'd rather keep it to myself."

"You plan to use Hetarium to—"

"To mass-produce Ymir's Heart? Why, yes. But I won't let you stop me!"

Before Lenard was able to drive his knife at Eilmahn's body, his lackeys made frantic noises, snatched him back, and shouted at him. "There are people coming towards us!" the two told Lenard. Cursing under his breath, Lenard had no choice but to leave. "Consider yourself lucky, Eilmahn. I'll get you next time." was his departing words.

**Einbroch, the City of Steel, 50km from Juno, 13km from Thanatos Tower**

Sitting at a bench in the busy Einbroch Central Station was a young woman clad in linen. Her head turned left and right every other minute, indicating that she was waiting for something, or someone.

The young woman got up the bench, walked a few steps away, and went for a nearby vending machine. Before she was able to choose what to drink, a familiar voice came in from behind her. A clammy hand then touched her shoulder, making her jolt a little.

"Don't surprise me like that, Arnulf!" the lady said with a playful tone. She then turned around, and glanced at the young man standing in front of her. The lady hugged the man as if it was her younger brother a few seconds later.

"Stop that, Vhie…" the young man addressed as Arnulf replied. "If people see us…"

"Sheesh… you're such a killjoy. Do you even know how long I waited here for you?"

"Err... I have no idea. Besides, as far as my schedule is concerned, I am 15 minutes ahead of this delivery!"

"Is that so? Hmm… so, did you get what I asked for?"

"Here it is, safe and sound!"

Arnulf then presented Vhie a box about the size of cement block. Vhie smiled with delight, and deliberately hugged the boy to show her thanks. Worn out by the monotony of the lady's reaction, Arnulf set the box on the floor, and asked if she wanted him to open the lid.

Vhie agreed, telling the young delivery boy that she had lost her energy from traveling quite a distance. She was surprised at the energy Arnulf exuded, for such a young boy to have enough power to ride a bike to cover the entire area of Arunafeltz and Schwartzwelt was a feat in itself.

"Can you please confirm the contents of the box?" Arnulf requested Vhie after he opened the lid. "Is this what you wanted?"

"Hai. I mean… thanks." answered Vhie while looking at the contents. "This is what I asked for."

"Glad to hear that. Here, you can take it."

"How much do I pay you then?"

"Payment? But you already paid—"

Before Arnulf could speak another word, Vhie leaned closer towards the lad's face, held his cheeks and kissed him on the lips. After a few seconds, Vhie decided to call it quits.

"Neh… what was THAT for?" Arnulf questioned, his face showing confusion. "There are lots of people in this station, you twerp!"

"Just a little tip." was Vhie's answer. The boy was now rubbing his palm in his mouth, as if trying to erase any evidence of the kiss.

"Don't do that again, Vhie… you know I—"

"I know… Audrey is pretty lucky to have a hardworking guy like you to take care of her when she gets older."

"She isn't here. She's staying with her butler in Lighthalzen."

"I see… so is there anything else that brought you here except for my delivery?"

"Actually, yes."

"Let me hear it."

"Let's not talk here. There are lots of people… and I hate noise."

The two then headed for a secluded place within the busy station. The air stank with burning coal and fuel from the nearby gold mine, almost making the place unlivable. The citizens were able to adapt to this kind of condition, and their lungs grew stronger.

"You're a native of Einbroch, am I right?" Vhie inquired to the delivery boy. "I heard this was the place where you started your services."

"It's been five years since I started with my deliveries." Arnulf replied. "The people here are nice… if not grateful."

"So, what is your reason for dropping by here in Einbroch?"

"I wanted to ask you something."

"You're just dallying. Say it."

"What are YOU going to do with THAT thing?"

"You mean, THIS?" Vhie pointed at the box that Arnulf delivered.

"Yes. Precisely."

"Nothing much. I am planning to give this to the higher-ups so they can research more about its properties."

"But THAT thing is—"

"Dangerous? Of course it is… that's why I asked you to deliver—"

"You don't understand, Vhie!"

"What?"

"Do you know what can happen if THAT thing goes berserk?"

"I am quite knowledgeable about this. Of course I know the consequence."

"You can't just travel around while holding on to such a—"

"…Radioactive material? Of course I know that the Heart itself is a little radioactive."

"Precisely. What are you going to do with the Heart of Ymir?"

"I'll explain everything when you're a little older."

"H-hey! That's not fair!"

"You know something, Ether Brake?"

"H-huh? What?"

"You're late for your next delivery."

"Oh shi—"

After reassuring Arnulf that she will tell him everything at the right time and place, Vhie left Einbroch station and headed for the local tavern to collect further information. Arnulf on the other hand, sped his way towards Hugel, where his next delivery was. He pedaled with all his might in order to reach the village within a short time.

A few minutes later, a trio of men arrived in the tavern where Vhie was staying.

**The City of Juno, 404****th**** Cavern of the Archaic Library, 60 feet Underground**

Busying himself within the deepest point of Juno was a man in his thirties dressed in the garb of a typical Grim Librarian. He was so enthralled at the collection of books and magical tomes in this part of the Archaic Library, and given the time, he could have read all of the tomes under his jurisdiction.

Taking another tome out of its dusty shelf, the Grim Librarian blew at its cover, and wiped any remaining dust that could destroy its quality. Taking care of books and just reading are really two different things.

The Grim Librarian had locked himself up in this cavern, spending three-quarters of his day in piling, sorting, and reading the books and tomes. His inventories are always updated, and he made sure that none will be able to enter the place or even steal anything.

That is, except for a few people that he knew.

A loud bang came from behind the iron door that isolated the Grim Librarian from the madness of the outside world. The Grim Librarian didn't want to be disturbed. Out of all the possibilities he could think of, banging at the door was the perfect way to do it.

Thinking it might have been his superior; the Grim Librarian made his way to the heavy iron door, manipulated the rusty lock, and pulled the handle.

What he saw before him made him want to close the door immediately.

"How are you, Eric?" the man in front of the door said. "It's been a while, isn't it?"

"Of all people…" Eric replied with disgust. "What are you doing here? And who gave you the permission to do so? Don't tell me—"

"Calm down, Eric… I'm not here to pick a fight. You know I can't anymore."

"Even if you look old, Lord Marcus Brifon… I know you still have the capacity."

"You're quite flustered, Eric. Not expecting any company, are we?"

"Just what is your business here?"

"Ah, finally you asked. But of course, I can only tell you once were safe inside this cavern. If you don't mind that is…"

"Fine then." Eric heaved a sigh. "Please come in."

After maximizing the intensity of the lights within the cavern, Eric led Lord Marcus towards his study. Situated at the far end of the spacious cavern, it was the only sign that someone was able to stay or even live in this forgotten place.

Eric offered a seat to the Lord, which it gladly accepted.

"So, what is it this time?" Eric questioned the Lord, his tone doubtful.

"I'll cut to the chase. What do you know about the Seal of Thanatos?"

The question made the Grim Librarian extremely troubled. It took him a few minutes before he could speak up and question the motives of the Lord.

"The Seal of Thanatos…" Eric started, his voice trembling. "What are you going to do with it if I do tell you what I know?"

"How perceptive of you, Eric." Lord Marcus remarked. "Then I'll explain to you my plans. Either way, you can't do anything to stop me."

"Just say it!"

"Anxious, aren't we? You do know that I plan on resurrecting Morroc to rid this world of those pesky Pronteran Royals and rebuild this continent…"

"I know that… but what's in it for me?"

"Oh… there is a good deal for you, Eric."

"What are you implying?"

"You see, the Seal of Thanatos is located on the highest floor of that tower up north."

"The sages know that. What are you going to do with it?"

"I'll break it, obviously."

"No one can do that, unfortunately. The seal is written in—"

"Sacred Lettering? The language of the gods?"

"Correct."

"That wouldn't be a problem."

"What do you mean?"

"I know you can read, write, and translate Sacred Lettering, Eric."

Eric fell silent. Thinking of his next move to counter Lord Brifon's statements, he immediately left his table and went to a nearby shelf. He then took a tome out, much to the Lord's delight.

The tome looked like a typical sage's manual, only it had Sacred Lettering written on its cover.

"I only know the basics." Eric revealed to the Lord.

"That would suffice." Lord Marcus said contentedly. "Everything starts with the basics."

"What do you want me to do?"

"I want you to help me, Eric."

"Help you? Why would I? If I help you, millions of people will suffer under your selfish rule once you reawaken Morroc!"

"Which do you care for? Is it the fate of the entire world or the fate of your entire family?"

"You couldn't—"

"I took them to Payon, Eric. I took them out of the bounds of this city's isolation."

"You wretch! What did you do to them?"

"Absolutely nothing! I made sure that they had a good place to stay in Payon."

"You're going to use them to make me follow you?"

"Not exactly… unless you deny me my proposition."

"I won't serve you in any way!"

"Fine then, I'll just—"

Lord Marcus' sentence was cut short by the appearance of a misty figure that stood in between them. The being was accompanied by two ravens that kept on whispering to its ear, and was notably blind on the left eye.

"It's glad to see you, All-Father Odin." greeted the two at the misty being.

Odin smiled at the two quarrelling men on his sides. Signaling them to listen, the two immediately changed their demeanor and focused on what their Lord was about to say.

Ever since the beginning, Odin relayed important messages that predicted the future events to humans that he deemed worthy. He relayed information to people who are capable of changing their fates. Most reacted adversely once they heard his message, shunning him as a prophet of doom, a harbinger of death.

The humans called him the Midnight Messenger.

"I come bearing news, valuable news… as usual." Odin began his classic greeting. "Lord Marcus and Grim Librarian Eric, I see no point why the two of you should quarrel."

"No point? Why is that, my Lord?" Eric inquired. "He held my entire family hostage! What do you mean, there is no point?"

"Hold your tongue, Eric. Let Huginn and Muninn explain everything to you. Listen carefully."

The ravens then revealed the superb condition of his family in Payon… and how Lord Marcus himself gave them livelihood and other luxuries that Eric himself couldn't or would never have afforded to offer.

Sighing in defeat, Eric decided to accept Lord Brifon's orders. Though he was still quite unsure about his decision, he had no choice but to obey Odin's orders.

Smiling contentedly, Lord Marcus then proceeded to ask Odin of his future. Just as what Eric experienced earlier, the ravens revealed to him the events that would transpire in the times ahead.

Lord Marcus' expression became stern. He went outside, without a word, and left the cavern.

"Do not worry, Eric." Odin told the Librarian. "I saw to it that your family will not be harmed."

"Thank you very much, my Lord." Eric replied. "I couldn't thank you enough."

"That doesn't matter. You should get out now."

"Huh? Get out? Why?"

"I just destroyed Juno Academy. That's why."


	5. Chapter 4

**Affect Circumplex**

Chapter 4: Smothering The World's Salvation

**Lighthalzen, 18 Minutes before the Devastation of Juno Academy**

A handsome butler neatly placed the afternoon dessert on a garden table. Checking his timepiece, he heaved a sigh of contentment and walked away. The butler then went inside a graceful mansion, one of the many beautiful sights in Lighthalzen. Finding the lady preparing her dress, he tucked his feet together and momentarily placed his right hand on his chest.

"Your dessert is ready, Lady Audrey." the Butler courteously informed the young lady. "I have prepared scones for you today."

The lady affectionately smiled at the butler, noticing his stance. She was alone the whole morning without Arnulf, and only her butler was left to take care of her after her parents died years ago. "Thank you, Locke." It was her only way of expressing her gratitude to the man who painstakingly guarded her when her beloved was on duty.

"Shall I prepare tea as well?" Locke inquired the young lady. "Though I'm not quite sure since—"

"No need, Locke." Audrey cut him off instantly. "You don't need to please me that much." The young lady immediately went outside of the mansion and headed for the garden while her butler followed loyally.

After Audrey sat on her favorite spot, Locke took the plate of scones from the garden table and walked towards her. Upon reaching the young lady's location, Locke knelt down, took a scone, and offered it to his mistress. "Say, ah…"

"No." Audrey denied straightforwardly. "What are you doing, Locke? I'm not a child anymore."

"Pardon me, my mistress." replied the butler in a calm tone. "I just noticed that… you're not yourself today."

"Sorry about that, Locke." the young lady apologized. "It's just… difficult when Arnulf is not around. He sure knows how to give me entertainment."

Smiling softly, the butler thought of something and replied, "Would you like me entertain you, then?" offering his hand to the mistress.

"That sounds… pretty awkward, Locke." Audrey remarked after the words sank in her mind. "It really sounded wrong." she continued, covering her lips with her hands.

"You're thinking too much, mistress." the handsome butler mumbled. Seeing his mistress like this was a little discomforting to him, but for some reason, he kept smiling. "Is something funny, Locke?" it seems like the young lady had noticed him.

"I want to give you something, my lovely mistress." Locke presented graciously. "I wanted to cheer you up, you see." he said after taking a bow.

Suppressing her laughter, Audrey asked what Locke would give her. The butler then reached inside his coat and took out his gift. "Is that… a book?" the mistress wondered at what she saw. She was expecting something else, but then… "How come it looks so old?"

"You'll see once you open it." Locke replied, his tone assuring. "You'll be very surprised." he said as he placed the book on the young lady's lap.

"I can only read the title." Audrey told the butler with a confused face. She looked at the cover again. ".Glacialis Trucido. Did I read it right, Locke?"

The butler nodded and smiled at the young lady, confirming her pronunciation. "It's amazing that you can read the title, my mistress. After all, it's written in—"

"Sacred Lettering?" was Audrey's immediate answer. The butler smiled even more. After a few minutes of thinking, he finally suggested, "If you don't like it, give it to someone else!"

"You're right…" the thought dawned upon the young lady. "But this is from YOU, Locke. I can't just give your gift to someone else."

"Why not give it to HER?" Locke suggested further. "You once told me she can read and write Sacred Lettering, right?"

"Locke." Audrey said sternly. She had thought of something. "What is it, my mistress?" was Locke's default question.

"Prepare my belongings." she ordered. "I'm leaving for Rachel."

The butler once again tucked his feet neatly and bowed as he placed his right hand on his chest. "Yes, my lady."

**Thanatos Tower, 12 Minutes before the Devastation of Juno Academy**

According to the reports Lieutenant Flireis received a few minutes after lunchtime, three workers known only as Lenard, Harvey, and Xavier by the rest of the excavation group managed to kill 4 workers and leave one severely wounded. Pointing the probable cause of the incident as theft after finding labeled bags of Hetarium missing, the Division immediately left for Thanatos Tower, which, according to the witnesses, was mentioned by Lenard over and over before he started his killing spree.

The group left Siria in the Division's Headquarters just in case updates pour in after they leave. This was the Division's Protocol, after all.

Coming out from the dense forest surrounding Abyss Lake after what seemed like hours, Savech, together with the Communications Division finally reached a clearing in the grounds of Thanatos Tower. In the middle of the clearing were Lenard and his men… as well as another man, sprawled on the floor and holding Lenard's crushing shoe.

"I see him!" Althii shouted as they approached the trio of rogue workers. From her view, it seems Lenard had managed to corner another victim, indicative of the knife he was pointing on the other man's neck. "Lieutenant, What are your orders?"

Fixing her glasses, Flireis told the team to "focus of Lenard" and then charged forward with Savech towards the rogue workers' location. "Nelsvee, Nellyne!" Flireis began instructing on the fly. "Prepare the nets! Althii! Cover us! We have pigs to subdue! I have a meeting in Einbroch later, so we'll do this fast!"

Immediately complying, Nelsvee and Nellyne resounded with a "Yes!" and grabbed both ends of a giant fishnet. The two followed Flireis and Savech as they sped their way closer to the group. Althii kept up with Flireis, handing her an explosive.

Hearing the noise of footsteps coming from behind, Harvey and Xavier started to panic. Believing that they were still pursued by the raging workers from the excavation, the two hurriedly got up and ran to Lenard, preventing him from dealing the final blow to his "comrade".

"We have to go, Lenard!" Xavier shouted. He then grabbed hold of Lenard's arm away and continued. "There are people coming after us! Come on!"

"You dimwit!" Lenard fired back immediately. "I know that! Let me finish my business with this guy!" he went on, trying to take another chance for a stab on the man beneath him.

"There's no time for that!" Harvey roared at their "leader", kicking him deliberately at the stomach to stop his rampage. Harvey then proceeded to grab Lenard's other arm. The trio consequently ran towards the other side of the forest a few seconds later.

"What are you doing, you crazy bastards?" Lenard shouted as they ran. "You left our bag of loot, and my kill back there!"

"We don't care!" the two snapped back. "We'd rather be alive!"

"You morons! Head for Einbroch! Fast!" was the last of Lenard's voice that Flireis and the Division heard as they reached Lenard's location, albeit late. What they found on the scene greatly surprised them.

"Althii." the Lieutenant began to order her subordinate. "Take Nelsvee and Nellyne with you. Inspect the "victim's" condition."

"Yes, Ma'am!" Althii answered attentively. She then took the twins and checked on the man sprawled on the floor. The man was wearing linen clothes, typical to that of a Sage from Juno. Upon further inspection, the twins pointed out that the man was "familiar" to them.

"I've seen him somewhere in Juno…" revealed Savech after inspecting the man. "I believe he is one of the three reported missing individuals by our local authorities."

"Do you remember his name, Savech?" "Flireis inquired further. The man in being checked in front of her was half-conscious, and breathing deeply. Savech rubbed his chin and frowned. "I don't remember, Lieutenant." was Savech's reply. "I'm sorry."

Seconds after their conversation, the man in question was now struggling to stand up, using the walls of the tower as leverage. It took another look from Savech to finally remember who the man was. "Eilmahn! That's it! You're Eilmahn, right?"

Nodding in agreement, Eilmahn tried to get stand up and steady himself. He was about to speak when Flireis expression suddenly became stern. "Lieutenant?" Althii asked in concern. "Is there anything wrong?"

Flireis heaved a sigh. The name did ring a bell in her mind. "That man…" she began to speak with a heavy tone. "That man is a criminal. A high-profile one, that is."

Confused and shocked faces were visible in the rest of the Division's faces.

"No, Lieutenant." Eilmahn finally managed to speak up. "Your authorities… are barking on the wrong tree." he continued, coughing repeatedly between his words.

"What are you implying?" Flireis scowled. She was visibly ready to pin the guy down and subdue him with the net meant for Lenard. "You and your men… you stole the tome from the Archaic Library!"

Eilmahn laughed at the thought. Savech tried to calm Flireis by placing his hand over her shoulder, but the Lieutenant shoved him away. "You have some nerve, laughing at us like that." Flireis told the fatigued Sage.

"Please listen, esteemed Lieutenant." Eilmahn began to speak with a dignified voice. "I have to tell you something."

"Just say it." replied the stern Lieutenant. "Make sure you're not going to twist the facts, for I know better."

Nodding his head, Eilmahn responded. "I understand." He then waved his hand at the group, motioning them to come closer.

Complying with a little hesitation, Flireis ordered her men to raise their guard and approach the wanted Sage. Slowly, they went forward. Eilmahn couldn't help but hold his laughter just by looking at their faces.

"What is it with you?" Flireis demanded an explanation. "What are you doing here with Lenard, no else?"

Eilmahn bowed respectfully to the group, and then faced the Lieutenant whose face was still stern. "Thank you very much for saving me earlier." Eilmahn finally said.

"Huh?" was Flireis automatic answer. "Stop playing around, you—"

The bespectacled Lieutenant's remarks were halted by another motion of the Sage. Flireis and the rest of the Division stared in confusion as Eilmahn pointed to something behind them. "Do you understand now?" was the Sage's question to the group after they turned their heads to the direction he pointed.

"You've got to be kidding me." Althii responded in disbelief. "That's not what I think it is, right? I mean, come on—"

"The same thoughts came to my mind after Lenard attacked me earlier." Eilmahn revealed to the confused members. "If I haven't seen it for myself, then I—"

Flireis motioned the Sage to stop speaking, and began to relay orders. "Savech. Head back to Hugel. Regroup with Siria immediately." Savech nodded and made his way back into the forest. The Lieutenant continued. "Althii. Nelsvee. Nellyne. Take Eilmahn to Juno. NOW." The remaining members immediately cuffed the Sage's wrist.

"You can't be serious!" Eilmahn replied in protest. "I just saved you from rad—"

"Tell me, Eilmahn." Flireis spoke with a heavy tone. "Tell me one thing before I leave for Einbroch. What are you going to do with the heart of Ymir?"

**Juno, 10 Minutes before the Devastation of Juno Academy**

The citizens of Juno were visibly alarmed shortly after Klaus von Streisand announced to the entire faculty of Juno Academy that a tome was stolen from the Archaic Library. The Head Librarian couldn't help but think about "those bastards" who couldn't keep a secret even under oath. Shaking his head, von Streisand made his way out of the spacious corridor of the Academy, and headed towards Juno's Western Lattice.

After minutes of walking, the Head Librarian finally reached the border of Juno and Rune-Midgard: The Barricade.

Trying to breach the magical barrier that enveloped Juno was not much of a task for someone like him who had mastered the elements. He could break it if he wanted to. However, he was not someone who would give in to such impulses. Control was what separated him from the other people of Juno… or what he often describes as "fools".

Located in the bottom of the Western Lattice was a platform; a locomotive platform, to be exact. Klaus was waiting for the next ride when a guard came from behind him and called his attention.

"Pardon me, Sir." the guard began. Klaus understood that the guard was just doing its job, so he decided to turn around. "Is anything the matter?" was his immediate question.

"I'm sorry, Sir." the guards started to explain "But only those with official business outside the Barrier can board the incoming locomotive."

With a sigh, von Streisand reached inward his pocket and withdrew a piece of parchment. "If I may…" he motioned his arm to the guard.

"I see." the guard nodded after taking the parchment. "So you're leaving Juno to visit the Pope of Rachel, Sir?"

"I have… important matters to settle with the Pope." explained the Head Librarian. "Is my Official Seal enough?"

After a few minutes, the guard handed back the parchment and wrote on his record. "I have verified at this exact time that you, Klaus von Streisand, the Head Librarian of the Archaic Library of Juno, shall board the incoming locomotive and head ONLY to Rachel to visit the Pope. Our guards who are deployed on Rachel will confirm after your arrival there, as well as your subsequent return here." was the guard's message.

"Thank you very much." von Streisand replied after taking his Seal back. "I understand that you're just following protocol. Please continue serving the citizens."

After taking a bow, the guard left the platform and went back to his post. Klaus continued to wait for the locomotive. There was no need to rush, he thought. Rachel was just a few minutes away once he boarded the locomotive. Once he arrives at the Temple, the Pope may provide him answers about the stolen tome's whereabouts, considering the Holy Powers bestowed upon her by the goddess Freya.

"I wonder how Eric and Lord Marcus are doing down there…" the head Librarian whispered to himself. "It'll be a surprise if they DID get along, though."

Sighting the locomotive a few meters ahead the platform, the Klaus von Streisand fixed his clothes and his hair. He needed to look presentable, after all. A few seconds passed and the locomotive screeched to a halt, unloading other passengers - mostly Sages on assignment – and visitors who could only view Juno from a designated platform. Outsiders were never allowed inside the floating city.

The Head Librarian stepped lightly inside the first class wagon and paid the conductor accordingly. Juno had no station whatsoever.

A minute later, the locomotive steamed out a puff of smoke, and started to move towards its next destination: Einbroch Station.

Minutes after the locomotive disappeared on the horizon, the guards of the lattice sighted a misty figure sitting on the platform. But before anyone could react to inspect who the being was, a huge explosion shook the entirety of Juno. The floating city was now covered in gray, suffocating smoke.

**Lighthalzen Station, 20 Minutes after the Devastation of Juno Academy**

After fitting Audrey with her trappings, Locke walked with her towards Lighthalzen Station. He carried a small luggage bag, which contained the book that he gave his mistress earlier. As they neared the Station's platform, his smile grew little by little.

"Listen carefully, Locke." Audrey started to give him her final orders. Locke leaned closer to hear her better. "I'm waiting, mistress." he told her.

Sighing heavily, Audrey gave Locke her only request while she's going to be away for a while. "Please tell Arnulf of my whereabouts… and tell him NOT to worry about me. STAY HERE."

Nodding to confirm the order, Locke then handed Audrey's luggage courteously at her. "Everything's here, mistress… your clothes, money, that book… your undergarments—"

"H-hey! You don't need to—" Audrey reprimanded her butler.

"I'm just joking, mistress…" Locke replied with a smile. He then patted the young lady's head and bid her goodbye for the moment. "I WILL STAY HERE. Take care, and have a safe journey."

Audrey walked slowly towards the first-class wagon she paid for. Thoughts surged through her mind.

Regret. Excitement. Happiness. Boredom. Love. Despair. Longing.

After sitting at her cabin, Audrey looked through the glass window to have one last look at her loyal butler. He was still there, waving at her…

Locke's expression was priceless.

From that moment on, Audrey hated emergency trips. She had to leave this time, though. It's been a while since she visited her younger sister in Rachel.

"She's handling a lot of responsibilities…" she whispered softly over and over until the locomotive's sound drowned her voice.

With another screech, the engine started, moving the locomotive towards its next destination: Rachel.

A few minutes after the locomotive left, Locke went over at the counter and bought another ticket. "Einbroch, please." he said with a smile.

Thoughts were in his mind as well.

As he reminded himself of the events that had just transpired, his smile grew into a sickly grin. "I almost didn't notice HIM. He's aboard the locomotive after all." Locke told himself.

. "Yes, my lady… I WILL STAY HERE… But not today." he chuckled. The station's alarm sounded off, announcing the next trip of the incoming locomotive.

Next Round Trip stops at Einbroch!

**Rachel Temple, 33 Minutes after the Devastation of Juno Academy**

Taking a quick break from her duties, the Pope of Rachel went back to her personal suite inside the Temple. After heaving the door shut, the Pope stared at the expanse of her well-lit room. It had all the furnishings of the day, minus the technology that the people of Rune-Midgard were hastily developing. Technology had no place inside the temple, only simple machines. Freya didn't care much about humanity's technological progress, she thought. Freya only cared for about the spiritual progress of humanity.

Whilst sitting at the edge of her bed, the Pope then turned her gaze at the huge mirror affixed on the wall of her room. She could easily see her reflection whenever she wanted to. Anytime.

The Pope then took off her sandals made of wolf skin, and walked barefoot towards the mirror to look at her reflection.

"You're still so young." she began to talk to herself silently, staring at her own figure on the mirror. "You look so inexperienced as well."

She moved her fingers upwards her cheeks while gazing back at the eyes that met her on the other side. "You're so fragile… like the faith of humanity."

The Pope then heaved a heavy sigh, and continued. Her hand made its way to her lips. "Being in this position in my society…" she began to think, her eyes still fixed on her reflection. "…sometimes it makes me hate myself."

Placing her hand from her lips to the mirror, the Pope felt the cold sensation that traveled down her elbows down to her spine. "Rejection." she said with a voice full of regret. "If I wasn't the one chosen as the Pope, then who would I be outside this temple?"

"Nobody will love me for who I am but…" she spoke slowly, her head now inching towards the mirror. She stopped, looked at her own eyes - that only looked back at her - and smiled.

"…I can love myself." She then closed her eyes, her thoughts contented.

The Pope finally crossed the line of her morality.

-tock! -tock!

A knock came from behind the door of the Pope's quarters. "I can never have time for myself, can I?" she told to herself, sighing heavily afterwards. She then went towards the door and unlocked it.

"What seems to be the matter?" The Pope questioned the servant who disturbed her rest. Scratching her head, she went on. "If I may, please hand all official matters to my personal assistant, am I understood?"

The servant nodded in response, and gave her something that resembled a letter. "What's this?" she instinctively asked the servant.

The servant then informed her that an old man dressed like a Sage wanted to talk to her personally. An old man… right. She trembled at the thought. Composing herself, the Pope then told the servant to let the man inside her office. The servant immediately left to fetch the visitor.

Placing her palm on her chest, she sighed again. "I was expecting someone else to come by and visit me…" she whispered to herself.

After a few minutes, The Pope made her way towards her office and was surprised to find who this "old man" was. Seated calmly on the receiving area was an old Sage. His dignified presence made the Pope a little uneasy. She recognized him outright.

"Sir Klaus?" she inquired with a little shock. "W-what are you…? I-I mean, why visit the Temple now?"

"Good day to you..." The sage greeted her. "I'm Klaus von Streisand, of the Archaic Library."

"W-welcome to… Rachel Temple, Sir Klaus." The Pope replied, stammering. "Please have a seat." she offered the Sage.

"Thank you, Your Holiness… but really. There is no need for such a formality." Klaus answered with a stern voice. "Me and the Other Handlers are undergoing a crisis, you see…"

"Is something wrong in Juno, Sir Klaus?" the Pope went closer, placing her palms on the Sage's shoulder. "I'm… willing to listen."

"To be honest…" von Streisand began with a sigh. "… A magical tome was stolen from the Archaic Library last night. The thief had the capacity to breach the barriers of Juno without anyone noticing."

Gripping the Sage's shoulder, the Pope began to press further. "What exactly was stolen, Sir? If I may…"

"It's a tome whose title Eric translated as "Glacialis Trucido"" Klaus finally revealed. "It's authored by none other than the All-Father, Odin." he continued. The Pope could've sworn he felt the old man shake and tremble. Whether it was fear or sadness, she wasn't able to guess. What was clear was that this renowned Sage needed her help badly.

"Glacialis Trucido… do you mean… Frozen Massacre?" the Pope inquired further. The Sage's eyes began to lighten up; a smile was brooding in his face. "Tell me… How can I help?" the Pope asked once again.

Taking the Pope's delicate hands and kissing it lightly, Klaus decided to ask what other humans would think as "ridiculous". "Can you…" he began. "Can you read Sacred Lettering?"

Hesitating to answer, the Pope took her hands away and turned. Before she reached the office's door, she nodded at the old Sage, whose face has now become hopeful. "Please, follow me." She told the sage.

Walking across one of the hallways of the Temple, the Pope explained to Klaus that she "learned to read, write, and translate Sacred Lettering due to Freya's Blessing." The old sage tried to hide his enthusiasm as thoughts flooded his mind.

The Heart of Ymir. The tome. The Seals. Juperos. Thanatos. Asgard.

Before the two could reach the door leading to the Temple's garden, another servant came and notified the Pope.

"A lady from Lighthalzen wants to speak with you, Your Holiness." the servant explained. The Pope's face brightened upon hearing the place's name: Lighthalzen.


	6. Chapter 5

**Affect Circumplex**

Chapter 5: You are not Important

**Veins, 7 Minutes before the Devastation of Juno Academy**

Nothing is normal. This was the belief of two men discussing private matters in a certain fruit stand in the Canyon Village. Normal is overrated. Everyone who passes in their line of sight could be anything, or anyone. This was how these two men saw the other people around them.

Everyone was suspicious. The existence of humanity was suspicious enough to begin with. And no, they are not conspiracy theorists as most people describe them. It just so happened that they are contented in being "observers".

"So, what's the verdict, Shahiv?" a thirty year-old mercenary finally asked his fruit-vending friend. "We can only know for sure if we investigate that "giant"." he suggested, placing both of his hands on the other's shoulders.

"We'll investigate if we have enough resources, Braer." the fruit vendor replied. He fiddled with his pockets, and then took out something that made the mercenary grin with excitement. "THIS is what we need, right?" the fruit vendor went on, waving the shiny object that he pulled out.

"You still have the keys, eh?" Braer remarked with glee. Swiping the shiny object instantly, he then proceeded towards a path rarely treaded by the citizens of Veins. Shahiv followed his friend immediately after making a final inventory and closing his shop. "Geez, man… you sure are excited." the fruit vendor couldn't help but smirk.

They were only meters away from the Barricade of Veins and Thor's Volcano.

"It's been a while since we rode this freaking wagon." Braer pointed out a dust-covered contraption with rugged wheels on its sides. "I could use the exercise."

"You do have your license, don't you?" Shahiv inquired for confirmation. Hopping inside the wagon, he checked the equipment before anything spectacular can happen. "If you don't have it, then it's better." He continued with a chuckle.

"You need a license for THIS?" Braer replied with sarcasm, spanking the sides of the wagon. "You don't need a license to drive this junk."

The duo laughed as if there was no tomorrow. Tapping the dashboard, Shahiv went on to mention that the wagon was "junk powered by junk". Curious about the mechanics of the wagon, Braer asked what made the wagon travel THAT fast. "This baby is way faster than Grand Pecos during mating season… so what exactly do you feed it?"

With a shrug, Shahiv replied with the secret ingredient that made his friend pale. "Unrefined Hetarium." he said, resisting the urge to laugh. Rock-powered machines were only for crazy entrepreneurs like them.

Before they could leave however, a strong ground tremor was felt within the vicinity of Veins.

"This is NOT normal, Shahiv." Braer suggested sternly. "We should go before anything weird happens."

"Right… so where exactly do we go?" Shahiv inquired, maintaining his grip on the wagon's steering wheel. "I can see the ground cracking up already. Where to, then?"

After a few seconds of thinking, Braer replied. "Einbroch."

**Juno, 2 minutes, 30 seconds after the Devastation of Juno Academy**

The citizens of the Floating City were in utter chaos after the Academy exploded with tremendous force that shook the three connected islands to the threshold. If it weren't for the lattices that prevent the city from crumbling, then Juno would have suffer the fate of its mother city.

Covered in grey, suffocating smoke, the citizens fled inside their houses and ran for the silos created in case such an emergency would happen. However, there were still people taken over by panic and unable to react. Others, were just plain unlucky, being crushed by the debris or being thrown out of the city's border by the shockwave that followed seconds after the explosion.

Stuck in the very center of Juno were three apprentices that were on their way back to class. It just so happened that before they could enter the academy, everything became wrong. Terribly wrong.

"What the heck?" the male apprentice wearing a lab coat immediately exclaimed. He dropped on the ground instinctively, covering his face from the dust. "Where did all of that come from? Jervy! Christine! Are you still there?"

Coughing behind him were two other apprentices. One was a female wearing a similar lab coat, and the other male was wearing a Sage's uniform. They seemed to have inhaled the dust created by the explosion, making it difficult for them to breathe.

"Damn… I can't…" Jervy struggled, gasping for air. He weakly took Christine's wrist tried to grip her, but his strength was not enough to hold him up. "Argh! Stand up! Stand up! Stand up! Stand up! Stand up! Stand up!" he told himself, mustering any energy he could possibly use for the moment.

Christine didn't seem to be moving at all.

"(cough) Ivan! Ivan! Are you ok?" Jervy immediately asked for his friend's help, seeing him crouching in front of them. He then shook Ivan's shoulders to notify him that they were still behind him. "Christine's passed out! Take her inside the facilty!"

"How should I (cough)… How should I know where that facility is?" Ivan replied in agony. He was now trying to stand up to cover the other two from the suffocating smoke. "Damn it! Why of all times?"

"Just take her! Follow me! Don't ask!" Jervy shouted back, giving his friend quite a shock, for he had never replied like that before. People do change when forced in a corner, he thought.

Complying with his friend's suggestion, Ivan took Christine in his arms and followed Jervy as he ran westward. In the thick fog, heaven only knows how the three managed to reach the facility without the effective aid of sight.

-THUD!

Jervy immediately closed the heavy iron door once everyone was inside the facility. He was breathing heavily, still gasping for air. Lying on the ground were his two friends. One unconscious, the other still terribly exhausted. "We have to escape." Jervy told Ivan a few minutes later. "We'll die if we stay here."

Nodding in agreement, Ivan used his remaining strength to carry Christine for the last time. Jervy went ahead inside the facility's inner chamber to operate a device connected with a huge, circular marking on the floor. "What on Midgard is that?" questioned Ivan, still panting heavily.

"It's a warping device." Jervy revealed, his voice getting inaudible. "It's still unfinished though… but this is the last chance we have."

"Where will that warp device send us?" Ivan inquired further. "You just said it's unfinished, so chances are…"

"I have no idea." Jervy answered back with honesty.

"You're crazy." Ivan replied with a gulp. The situation was getting worse outside. No help from the stationed guards could reach them due to the thick fog enveloping the entire city. "If we get stuck…"

"Just do it!" Jervy shouted in agitation. Without another word, Ivan stepped inside the circular marking while carrying Christine.

"We're ready." Ivan told his friend. Jervy took a deep breath and started the device. Another second later, he stepped inside the circle.

The room was filled with a blinding flash. The three apprentices were nowhere to be found within the facility.

Meanwhile, a certain Grim Librarian was running for his life as he escaped from his chamber underground. Upon reaching the surface, he was met with a thick fog that made it impossible for him to see anything.

"I can't die like this…" the Grim Librarian told himself. There was fear and anxiety present in his expression, but something within him managed to hold him up. "My family… they're waiting for me."

The Grim Librarian erected a small barrier in front of him, and ran as fast as he could southward. He had to escape from Juno. There was no way in Hel that he'll cooperate with Lord Marcus, even if Odin told him so.

"What have I done wrong?" the Librarian asked himself over and over. A few minutes later, he was able to reach the lattice where the guards were still planning on how to help the trapped citizens inside. Noticing him instantly, the guards naturally wanted to talk to him to ask for details.

But he didn't stop for any sort of chat.

From that moment on, Eric, the greatest Grim Librarian of Juno, decided to cut his ties from the city he spent his entire life working to rebuild.

"I need to find them. I need reach Payon immediately." he told himself. Eric went further south until his legs can't move any longer. Spotting a city on the horizon, he mustered any remaining energy had left and tried to stand up. "Aldebaran… is up ahead."

Eric's knees gave way as he tried to stand, threatening to injure him further if he hits the ground. Fortunately, a passerby managed to save him. "T-thank you… lad." Eric told the man in front of him. "Please, if you could… take me to Payon."

"Payon, huh?" replied the young man. Eric noticed that the lad wore the trappings of a High Wizard. He was heavily-built for one though. "Hmm… Maybe I can use Hyatt's warg service… and let Cornelia do the driving… Ok pops, I'll help you."

"Thank you very much…" was the Librarian's immediate answer. His energy was almost depleted, but upon hearing the man accept his request, somehow, he felt stronger. "Who might you be, young lad? For I remember the names of people who help me…" Eric inquired the heavily-built High Wizard.

Hesitating for a moment, the High Wizard decided to tell the disheveled stranger his name. "I'm Malchuz… and you are…?"

"Eric." he replied, finally collapsing in the arms of the High Wizard.

"H-hey!" Malchuz tried to awaken the man, but to no avail. "Darn… I need to explain this to Cornelia and Hyatt, right?"

**Einbroch, 28 Minutes after the Devastation of Juno Academy**

Arriving at Einbroch Station without the knowledge of his mistress, Locke, the butler of Lady Audrey, stepped out the first-class cabin of the locomotive and headed outside. After checking his timepiece, he then went towards the nearest tavern after detecting the presence of a certain radioactive material.

Upon entering the tavern, his expression became enthusiastic when he saw three men confronting a lone woman dressed like a Sage. He simply stayed at the sidelines, observing the confrontation. As the handsome butler moved towards the tavern's bartender, he focused his hearing in what the involved party was saying.

Locke seemed to be enjoying the scene. It felt pretty weird for him at a point, for there were no other people inside the tavern except for three goons, the female sage, the bartender, and him. The other witnesses could've run off to avoid trouble, he thought.

"What is the meaning of this, Lenard?" questioned the female sage. She met the man with an icy glare, expressing her dominance. "You dare to point a knife at me?"

"Now, now…" began the gruff man wielding the knife. Unaffected by the actions of the female sage, he began inching closer towards her. "I told you to calm down, Vhie."

Locke noticed the two other men with the guy named Lenard. They weren't actually participating with the ongoing harassment, but stayed on their positions. Some backup, he thought.

"What do you want?" Vhie demanded an explanation from the gruff guy. Locke noticed that she was carrying a box. He smiled after he realized what the contents were. He could feel it resonate. Terribly.

"You see, Vhie… earlier this afternoon, we escaped from that hellhole in Hugel, killed some unlucky bastards, "met up" with Eilmahn in Thanatos Tower, and escaped again from that bitch named Flireis." Lenard narrated to Vhie, his tone extremely sarcastic. "And then we headed south, ended up in this tavern… and we saw you holding THAT thing."

"Only the higher-ups can have this." Vhie replied with conviction. "You'll die first before you ever get the chance in stealing it from me."

"You're just being selfish, Vhie…" Lenard continued on taunting the sage. He was now able to corner her near the bartender's serving table. Apparently, even the bartender can't do anything about the situation. Locke couldn't help but laugh internally.

"I won't hand over the Heart to you!" Vhie screamed with all her might, trying to fight off the goon. "Get away from me, you idiot! One more step and I'll—"

"What can you do?" Lenard taunted even more. The two others were behind him now, preparing to finally assault the sage. "Just hand over the Heart fragment easily… and no harm will come to you. If you want to get hurt like Eilmahn then—"

Vhie scowled. She then deliberately spit on Lenard's face, making him stand back for a while. Locke was still watching the "drama" unfold in front of him. It's getting fascinating, he thought.

That did it. Lenard really had a short fuse. He then swiped his knife towards Vhie's abdomen.

-oof!

To Locke's surprise, the female sage was able to block the attack by kicking the goon squarely at the wrist. Pretty much impressed, he took one last look at the package the female sage was holding. "I knew it…" he whispered to himself. "Well then…"

"That hurt, you idiot!" Lenard screamed in pain, dropping the knife on the floor. "You… you're going to pay! Harvey! Xavier! Take her down!"

Obeying (miraculously) at Lenard's orders, the two began to attack Vhie, but stopped short after getting slapped on the face twice by the sage. They pathetically begged for their lives. It turns out they can get practically beat down by a woman, much to Lenard's disdain. "You're both freaking useless!" Lenard screamed at the two. "You call yourself men? Use force, damn it! I don't care if she gets hurt! If she struggles further, then rape her!"

Vhie stood frozen on the corner, holding her package tightly. She could escape if she wanted to, but she was extremely worried to get caught if she didn't do it the right way. "Damn it… I can't cast spells like this." she whispered in disgust. "If I run directly at them, they'll just grab my feet and…"

Vhie didn't want to think about the other possibilities once she gets caught. She started crying. Nobody was there to help her at all. Not a single one. Not the bartender… not the butler…

The butler.

Vhie then heard the sound of ribs getting broken piece by piece. To her surprise, the lone butler present in the tavern was throwing the trio of goons outside one by one with ease. His strength could be compared to a certain bartender in Prontera who could throw vending machines at will.

After the dust settled, Vhie found no trace of the butler. "I wasn't able to thank him at all." she thought. Regaining her composure, Vhie went outside. She then decided to leave for Thanatos Tower to meet up with Eilmahn. She was extremely worried.

**Einbroch Station, 31 minutes after the Devastation of Juno Academy**

A few minutes after the scuffle in Einbroch tavern, a duo consisting of a fruit vendor and a mercenary came roaring in at Einbroch Station while driving a Hetarium-powered wagon. Most of the citizens were shocked at the reckless behavior of the two men on board, and demanded an apology.

It turns out; the two have managed to crash themselves in a street lamp adjacent the station. Fruits of different kinds were scattered on the street coming from the cargo. Thankfully, nobody got hurt in the process… except for a handsome guy dressed in a butler suit, who was about to enter the ticket booth. Panicked, the two occupants of the wagon got out of their car to aid the "victim".

"Now you've done it, Braer!" shouted a man who was now picking up the fruits rolling crazily on the ground. "I told you to check the brakes earlier!"

"Bah! The wagon's NOT even totaled, Shahiv…" replied the man who was assumed by the witnesses as the driver. "Stop picking those lemons and help me out with this guy!"

"I'll be right there!" Shahiv responded attentively. "Check his pulse! Is he still breathing?"

"What are you, some doctor?" Braer answered with sarcasm. The butler was trying to stand up on his own. Upon further inspection, he didn't even look injured. "You're not going to believe this, Shahiv. Holy—"

"You're nuts, Braer! What are you talking about? Oh sh—"

The duo's reaction was shared by the other witness surrounding them, curious of the wagon crash. What made their mouths gape was that the supposed injured butler was now walking towards the station, took in a quick breath, and removed the wagon from the crash site with a single hand.

To the relief of the two reckless men, their wagon was still intact, and its engine functioning properly. Feeling somewhat grateful to the butler for not handing them over to the local authorities, they asked how they could repay him.

"We're very sorry mister." the duo apologized to the butler. "If you wish anything so we can repay your kindness then—"

The butler waved his hand back and forth, dismissing the two. "Don't worry, I have a LONG fuse." he told them. "Anyway, you two seem to be in a hurry, what seems to be the problem?"

"Well, first please allow us to introduce ourselves." Braer suggested to the butler, who consequently agreed. "I'm not in a hurry, so that would be fine, go ahead." the butler replied with a smile on his face.

"I'm Braer… a mercenary from Rachel, and this is friend, Shahiv, a fruit vendor from Veins. And you are…?"

"My name is Locke. I'm a butler for a noble in Lighthalzen." the handsome man replied calmly. "May I ask what you seem to be in a hurry for?"

"You see…" Shahiv began. "We've been looking for clues about a mysterious guy stalking around Veins and the volcano. We suspect that he's one of the giants, due to his pointy ears. It turns out that this guy left… and headed to…"

"I've seen a guy that looks like that…" Locke interrupted. The duo's faces brightened up as the butler was able to explain to them what it might be after. "I heard rumors that the mysterious guy you're talking about is hunting for excess Hetarium. It makes me wonder… there is also a rumor that he lives somewhere around Thanatos Tower, so why not try to go there?"

Delighted by the information, the duo prepared to leave. "Thanks for the tip, Mr. Butler." Braer told Locke before leaving. "You've been such a great sport." A few minutes later, the duo completely disappeared from the station after fixing their wagon and speeding away northward.

Locke then proceeded to the ticket station and bought tickets for the next locomotive. Stamped on it was the butler's destination.

The incoming locomotive made a high-pitched noise, making Locke cover his ears. Seconds after he took his hands off, the nearby cashier could have sworn that he saw the shape of the butler's ears become pointy…. comparable to that of the giants of myth. The cashier blinked, as if under a spell, but saw no sign of the butler within the area.

Locke was now on his way to Hugel.

Meanwhile, as the reckless duo traversed the City of Einbroch on board their trusty and heavy-duty wagon, strange things began happening again. "Stop the wagon, Braer. Now." Shahiv ordered. He saw something up ahead. It was a young lady waving at them. "Ask her what she wants. If she wants to hitchhike, tell her it's alright."

Driving slowly, the duo finally reached the young lady, who wore the typical clothes of a Sage. "Any problem, missy? Looking for a ride?" Braer asked.

"Yes, Sirs…" the lady began to ask. "By any chance, are you two heading for Thanatos Tower? Would you…" The duo nodded in agreement halfway. "Hitchhiking, eh? Hop on. And DONT ask." mentioned the fruit vendor. "We're gentlemen. Got that?"

**Hugel, 42 minutes after the Devastation of Juno Academy**

The resident cook of the Communications Division was disturbed by a loud knock coming from the headquarters' door. Earlier this afternoon, Lieutenant Flireis and her team left immediately for Thanatos Tower to look for three men suspected of stealing Hetarium and killing workers at the excavation site.

Opening the door, the she was greeted by a familiar face. "Here's your delivery, Miss Siria." the young man told the cook. "Please confirm if this package's contents are indeed yours."

Looking over the box, Siria nodded and said, "Thank you, Arnulf… it's been a while since I asked for your services."

"As always, ma'am…" the delivery boy replied courteously. "I always aim to please." he continued with a big smile. Siria then took the box and placed it inside the headquarters. "I'll be right back. Just wait a little ok?" she said. The delivery boy nodded in agreement.

A few seconds later, Siria came out and gave Arnulf some homemade cookies. "I made them especially for you, ok?" she mentioned with a smile. The young delivery boy couldn't help but blush. At least the cook was kind enough to give him food and not kisses… unlike someone he knows in Einbroch. "Thank you, Ma'Am." was his default reply.

"Did you pass by Juno today, Arnulf?" Siria asked the delivery boy. She hasn't returned to the floating city for around six months after she joined the excavation team's Communications Division. "I was wondering…"

Arnulf's expression became stern, much to Siria's surprise. "Is something wrong?" the cook immediately questioned. Taking a deep breath, Arnulf decided to answer her question.

"You might not like the sound of it…" Arnulf began hesitantly. "But I saw something weird happening as I passed by Juno's border this afternoon."

"What is it, Arnulf? Please tell me…" Siria begged for the information. She was extremely homesick, and upon hearing "bad" news from Juno, it only made her want to go home immediately. "What did you see?"

"Juno was covered by a thick fog." Arnulf finally revealed. "I was still on my bike on my way here, when the ground shook with tremendous force."

Siria's face grew pale. She had the impulse to run and leave immediately for Juno, but for some reason, her legs couldn't move. "An explosion… Everyone… no…"

Arnulf apologized for the news, saying he "could have said it better". Shrugging off the weird feelings, Siria patted the delivery boy's head and reminded him of the time.

"See you around, then." Arnulf finally bid goodbye. "I have one last delivery in Rachel Temple."

The Ether Brake sped back on his bike for his next delivery, leaving Siria alone in front of the headquarters. "I really should go… but…" she kept on thinking about her loved ones in Juno. "I can only hope for their safety."

Siria was about to go back inside when a familiar voice called her. The voice was music to her ears, for she smiled and stopped on the way inside. Slowly, she turned around to greet the one man that made her feel like family.

"Welcome back, Savech…" Siria greeted coolly, making the young man blush for a second. "Are you all right? You seem flustered…"

"Hff… I have news for you, Siria…" Savech replied, panting. He was still tired from "running" the distance between Hugel and Thanatos Tower. "Lieutenant Flireis managed to capture a fugitive from Juno."

"I thought you were following the men who killed our workers?" Siria asked in confusion. Placing her hand on the man's shoulder, she muttered a short prayer. "There… are you feeling any better?"

"Thank you, Siria. That would be enough." Savech thanked the lady. "We found the fugitive engaging the group we were supposed to follow. The Lieutenant managed to capture him, sending me back here to regroup with you, while Althii and the twins were ordered to take the fugitive to Juno."

"But that's—" Siria gasped at the brief mention of Juno. "You can't be serious! Juno is—"

"What are you talking about Siria?" Savech inquired. "What the heck is going on? Is something wrong with you?"

"The Ether Brake reported just now…" Siria began to relate the events to the man. "… He just passed by Juno, and considering the distance…"

"Out with it, Siria." Savech tried to get the young lady back to her senses. "What exactly happened?"

Placing her hand on her chest, Siria breathed out a sigh and revealed, "A terrible explosion just occurred in Juno."

Meanwhile, a certain butler who boarded from Einbroch arrived in Hugel Station.


	7. Chapter 6

**Affect Circumplex**

Chapter 6: Solving the Riddles

**Einbroch, 30 Minutes after the Devastation of Juno Academy**

Flireis du Lucille finally arrived in Einbroch after pursuing Lenard and his two other lackeys. Upon arrival, she noticed a crowd gathered in front of Einbroch Station. Curious, she shoved her way slowly into the densely packed space of people, making sure her glasses won't fall off by accident. She immediately saw after her breakthrough the three men she was hunting down, albeit beaten to a pulp and unconscious.

"Guards! Come quickly!" Flireis shouted to alert the nearby authorities. A few seconds later, the Station's guards fell in line in front of the woman who introduced herself as a Lieutenant from the Hugel Expedition. After explaining to them what happened earlier, the guards sprung into action without another word.

"Where shall we take these men, Ma'am? We cannot detain them in Einbroch since this falls under your area's jurisdiction according to protocol." inquired one of the guards.

Scratching her chin, Flireis thought for a second. She then fixed her glasses and answered, "I plan on taking these three to Juno so they can be properly dealt with."

The guard's face became stern after hearing the supposed destination. "What's wrong?" was the Lieutenant's obvious question. The guard then revealed that all the locomotives bound for Juno are cancelled until further notice due to a reported explosion in the said area.

Upon hearing the news, the Lieutenant closed her eyes, as if in prayer. She opened up for another question. "What is the destination of the incoming locomotive?" She asked, pointing at the horizon at the sight of the locomotive.

"That next one is bound for Hugel, Ma'am." The guard replied after checking his timetable. Flireis then ordered the guards to carefully bind the men and place them in a vacant cabin at the locomotive's rear. "Make sure that all security locks are accounted for." She ordered.

"It has come to this…" she could only murmur. Heaving out a sigh, she then bought a ticket bound for Hugel and paid for the "extra baggage".

Before leaving, Flireis inquired the guards how the three men got beaten so badly. What she heard from the guard made her feel a lump on her throat. The reason the guard told her sounded like it came from a fairy tale. She could not believe that a single butler could wipe out the gruff men she was having difficulty with.

"Thank you for your kind service, everyone." The Lieutenant applauded the guards. Another minute passed, and Flireis was now on her way to Hugel, together with the "excess baggage" on board. She could only think of the worst as the ride sped away.

**Northeast Juno, 40 Minutes after the Devastation of Juno Academy**

The group consisting of Althii, Nelsvee, and Nellyne finally reached the plateau located on the northeastern border of Juno. The three subordinates of Lieutenant Flireis held captive a man by the name of Eilmahn, a "fugitive" from Juno.

Instead of excitement and relief, the three felt bewilderment as the saw a thick fog covering the floating city from their location. None of them was able to speak o even react to the absurdity of the event unfolding in front of them. It was not until Eilmahn tried to escape did they come back to their senses.

"Nelsvee! Nellyne! He's getting away! We can let him go! The Lieutenant will be furious!" Althii shouted on the top of her lungs.

The twins simply nodded, and sped towards Eilmahn's direction to prevent him from escaping. Eilmahn, on the other hand, was sweating profusely and breathing heavily. "I already told you! You've got the wrong man!" he told his pursuing captors.

Nelsvee and Nellyne weren't the type of people who would listen to ramblings. Althii followed them from behind. On their peripheral vision was the floating city, covered in thick fog. In their minds, heaven only knows what is happening inside. Located in their front was a man trying to escape with his last bit of energy.

"Resistance is futile, Eilmahn! There is no escape route in there! You're heading for a dead end! Are you planning to kill yourself?" Althii shouted once more. Her voice was echoing across the plateau.

The twins sped a little more, gaining considerable distance between them and Eilmahn. "I can't die like this…" Eilmahn kept on muttering as he ran the dusty terrain. To Althii and the twin's surprise, he tripped and fell face first on the ground and rolled down a steep slope.

"Follow him." Althii ordered the twins. Taking each other's hands, the twins jumped on the ledge and rode the slope downwards to follow Eilmahn. Althii used her remaining stamina to jump from tree to tree in order to get closer. The fugitive was right below them. There was no way he could escape; the road was a few hundred meters from their location.

Finally reaching the bottom of the slope, Eilmahn felt his knees become numb. Trailing behind him were the twins, still holding their hands together and preparing to capture him. Eilmahn tried to feel for any possible sensation in his legs, but to no avail.

"I'm done for. I'm really sorry… everyone… I caused you a lot of trouble…" Eilmahn murmured. The sage felt that all hope was lost.

Althii then lunged towards his location from atop the trees. The twins were almost near him. There was no escape possible from the Lieutenant's subordinates, he thought.

Then, Eilmahn heard someone calling his name.

"That voice…" the sage couldn't locate where it was coming from, but it sure did stop the twins and Althii from getting him immediately. The voice drew in closer… not one, but three. There were three voices. The voices seemed to be shouting and quarreling at each other.

Thoughts rallied in Eilmahn's mind. "I need to get away…" He was still trying to stand. The fall made him a little shocked, but it was worth everything if it can gain him his freedom.

"That can't be her!" Althii shouted again, her voice filled with disbelief. "She's one of the fugitives as well!"

Eilmahn and the twins looked at the road up ahead. Eilmahn's reaction was not just of surprise, but of comfort. "I knew it… You'll always look for me, don't you?" he thought of the woman speeding up towards him.

"Eilmahn! Hang in there! I'm going to get you!" shouted a young female sage riding a wagon with two other men

"Nelsvee! Nellyne! Take Eilmahn! We can't let him get away like this!" Althii gave her orders immediately.

In a matter of seconds, the female sage held her hand outward and grabbed Eilmahn's arm, who was reaching out to her. The two other men in control of the wagon were shouting as if they were in some thrill ride. "Damn! That was awesome, Missy!" cried a man who Althii recognized as a mercenary. The other guy sitting beside him was carrying a large basket of fruits, and began throwing all sorts of produce at them.

"Argh! This can't be happening!" Althii began to panic. The twins ran toward the wagon to prevent it from getting away.

"H-hey! Watch it!" the fruit vendor can only scream in protest. Nelsvee was able to nick the wagon's engine open with a thick branch and broke the tube for the break fluid.

"Damn! We're going nowhere but forward! You, three! Hold on tight! It's going to be REALLY bumpy!" the mercenary driver shouted. Althii could clearly see Eilmahn being hugged protectively by the female sage on board the wagon.

"Another fugitive… Damn it… if I knew that Vhie was going to show up…" Althii muttered under her breath. She ran as fast as she could towards the speeding wagon. It was heading further eastward. There was only one place the thing would go.

"Nelsvee! Nellyne! Take the front! That wagon will reach Hugel!" Althii ordered.

**Rachel Temple, 47 minutes after the Devastation of Juno Academy**

Lady Audrey made her way inside the Temple's corridor after the guards finally allowed her access to meet the Pope. Staring at the expanse of the corridor alone, she wondered how the Pope can manage to withstand the pain of being secluded from the world, with nothing but vassals and white walls surrounding her on every side.

She had waited at the lounge, located in front of the Pope's office for around thirty or so minutes already. The Pope is busy, so she should be lenient, the lady thought. Everything was so silent inside the temple, and her footsteps would be like raps on a wall if she managed to walk noisily.

A few minutes more passed by, and she finally heard footsteps – as well as voices – heading towards her. Audrey became excited. Clutching her bag, she fiddled with the lock to open it.

And then she saw her.

Walking up to her location was a young girl Audrey recognized her as the Pope, and a stern sage was following her at the side.

"Audrey!" the frail girl dressed in white shouted with glee. The servants nearby were startled at the noise, for they have never heard the Pope greet a visitor THAT much.

"How are you, my little sister? I missed you so much already…" Audrey patted the Pope's head. The frail maiden didn't answer, but only took the older lady's hands and rubbed it in her cheeks. Audrey could've sworn she felt an uneasy aura surrounding her little sister.

"I'm so glad you visited me, Audrey." the Pope said.

"Don't mention it, little sis… I should have visited you earlier." Audrey said.

The two exchanged knowing glances while still holding each other's hands. Their smiles were the conclusive evidence that they had been together for so long, circumstance the only thing that managed to break them apart.

"Excuse me, your Holiness…" the old sage attempted to get the Pope's attention. He was getting uneasy as well, for his plans were needed to be set in motion immediately.

The Pope turned around to answer him, but the other lady stopped her from doing so.

"Hey, little sis… I have something to give you." Audrey told the maiden. She then drew out a tome from her bag and handed it gently to the Pope.

The Pope stared at the tome's title, scanned the pages, and read the title again. She began to feel cold sweat on the back of her neck.

"Audrey? Where did you get THIS?" the Pope asked.

"Don't ask, little sis… It's for you, anyway. I don't need it."

Curious, the old sage bent over and tried to look at the cover of the tome. The Pope can only look at him with weary eyes, as if she was going to explain how her older sister managed to have…

"Glacialis Trucido. Who would have thought?" the old sage's expression became grim and morbid.

"Sir Klaus, I have no idea. Is this really…" the Pope told the sage. While she was still unsure how to react, she knew that Klaus will not tolerate even the slightest excuse. She couldn't do anything, even when the sage deliberately snatched the tome from her hands and flipped the pages open.

"There is no doubt, your Holiness… this is Glacialis Trucido, the stolen tome from the Archaic Library." Klaus confirmed.

"But Sir Klaus, that doesn't make sense! How can… how can my older sister be able to enter Juno and steal the tome?" the Pope protested.

Klaus von Streisand closed his eyes after glaring at the girl called "Audrey". He thought deeply, trying to make sense of the situation. He knew in his mind that the lady wouldn't be able to do such a thing… without the help of THAT guy.

The sage walked towards Audrey's direction and glared even more. The lady felt her knees weaken at the sight of the old man's stern expression.

"Tell me, Lady Audrey… how did you acquire this tome?" Klaus asked.

"My butler gave it to me. He never told me how he got it." Audrey answered.

Klaus thought once more, carefully picking the question he should ask next. Something fishy was going on, of that he was sure.

"Would you mind telling me your butler's name, Lady Audrey?" Klaus asked.

"His name? He called himself "Locke" since our first meeting…" Audrey replied.

The sage's expression became indescribable. Klaus knew it. It was the butler all along, he thought. It was not so clever of the guy to hide his real name.

"What's going on, Sir Klaus? Don't tell me you're going to—" the Pope tugged the sage's robe and inquired.

"I'm sorry, your Holiness, but I must detain your sister for a while as a witness. This theft cannot be solved without proper investigation." Klaus replied without a bit of hesitation. He was serious enough to use a lady as collateral.

"That can't be! I won't let you take me!" Audrey shouted back in protest. She immediately ran on the other side of the hallway to escape. It wasn't her fault at all, she thought. She trusted Locke so much… and there was no way in the world he could've snuck into Juno and steal without her knowledge. Or could he?

"Your sister left me with no other choice, your Holiness." Klaus told the Pope. He then summoned three elementals to pursue the lady before the maiden could react.

"I will not tolerate such behavior inside this Temple!" the Pope retaliated. In Klaus's utter amazement, the elementals he summoned dissipated instantaneously, as if they were eaten out of existence. The Pope negated all magic within the vicinity of the Temple. The sage was taken aback by this action, and his rage got the better of him.

Klaus deliberately knocked the Pope over and ran after the fleeing lady. He needed her to lure the bastard who called himself "Locke" out in the open.

Audrey on the other hand, had managed to reach the gates of the Temple. To her horror, the old sage was just right outside the Temple's main door, still trying to capture her. She couldn't run any faster, for she was terribly exhausted. She couldn't escape him.

Or so it would have seemed, until Audrey heard a voice coming from above.

Jumping from rooftop to rooftop was a young man on a bicycle without any braking apparatus. He was going way too fast that dust formed a sandstorm behind him. The young man pulled over and landed where the lady stood and immediately grabbed her hand, and placed her to sit comfortably in front of him.

"Hold tightly, Audrey…"

"Arnulf… what… where are you going to—" Audrey stammered.

The Ether Brake didn't answer. Instead, he focused his strength on the bicycle's handles and called upon a name that Klaus heard as he neared the two.

"Sleipnir! Grant me your speed!" Arnulf cried out.

In a matter of seconds, the ground shook tremendously… making the sage fall over and watch in awe as the bicycle emanated a dark aura. Before he could stand up and react, the bicycle sped away with unimaginable speed – northeastward – out of Rachel.

Klaus once again took the tome out and checked. He frowned, for the stolen tome was now in his hands, but the real culprit hasn't been captured yet. Seconds later, a misty being appeared from behind him and whispered something on his ear.

"They're heading for Hugel?" Klaus's frown then became a sickly grin.

**Juperos Ruins, 49 Minutes after the Devastation of Juno Academy**

Currently wandering within the pitch-black cavern of the once-floating city of Juperos were three apprentices who managed to escape the cataclysm that engulfed Juno. Upon their arrival around half an hour ago, one of them managed to cast a Sight spell to brighten up the view. They had been looking for a way out, but no avail.

"Seriously, Jervy… at our current condition, we can never find a way out of this place." a male apprentice wearing a lab coat told the other sage. He had been the one maintaining the Sight spell since their arrival, and he was terribly exhausted.

"Ivan, we can't just give up. Look at Christine! She's been gasping for air all this time… heaven knows how much air we have left inside this place. Damn it! I don't even know where that warping device got us into."

Jervy scanned the area they were trapped in. They had been walking in circles, literally. There was nothing to be seen at the horizon except for the darkness that eats anything to oblivion. Even the walls have to agree, for even without the presence of sunlight in this forsaken place, the darkness somehow managed to eat its existence as well. The walls looked so old, Jervy could've sworn he…

"The walls—"

Jervy looked again, hard. After requesting Ivan to cast another sight spell, he motioned him to come over and leave Christine to rest for a while.

"What's the matter? Did you find something that can take us out of here?" Ivan inquired at his friend who was now staring at the stone wall. He inched closer at Jervy's location and stared where his friend was focusing in silence.

"Look at this symbol, Ivan." Jervy said.

"Huh? That's it? It looks like chicken scratch to me…" Ivan frowned.

Jervy shook his head, and thought for a possible explanation for the symbol engraved in the wall. He was scouring his memory to remember where he last saw it. It could have been only in Juno… but where?

Ivan couldn't help but feel uneasy about his friend's reaction to just a mere symbol. He decided to examine it as well, just to speed things up.

And then it hit him.

Ivan shook Jervy's shoulders abruptly, making the sage lose his concentration. He apparently found something suspicious about the symbol.

"The symbol is upside down, Jervy. Try to rotate the image in your mind, and you'll see." the apprentice instructed the other.

"I see it clearly… it's the symbol of the Republic of Schwartzwelt." Ivan said.

"But what's it doing here? We can't be in Juno anymore…" Jervy wondered.

Jervy pried his memories to answer the baffling question. Surely along the way his professors might have hinted something like this… for the symbol was clearly engraved on the floor of the city's square, near the Academy.

"Did Sir Eric mention something about this during one of his lectures to you?" Ivan turned his head on the side and then cast another Sight spell.

"I know where we are right now, Ivan. I remember everything." Jervy said.

"Finally, a good use for your brain… so where are we exactly?" Ivan asked.

Jervy narrated to his friend the very same story that his professor told him… about a large floating island before Juno came into existence, its supposed energy source that eventually wiped it out of the map, and the aftermath of its destruction.

"This place is Juperos? But I thought that place existed only as a fairy tale!" Ivan looked behind him and checked Christine's condition. The female apprentice was breathing heavily, as if she was going to die any second from now.

"We can escape from here, but only if we can make it outside without encountering any of the guardians that survived the crash." Jervy didn't want to lose hope, but it seemed that their situation was far from being salvageable.

"So, were just going to die?" Ivan asked.

"I'm afraid so… I'm sorry." Jervy confessed.

Ivan was about to freak out at the thought, but was distracted he heard someone laughing behind them. The two decided to inspect who could it have been, for as far as they knew, they were the only ones stuck in this place. The thought also crossed them that they might actually be hallucinating already.

Upon casting another Sight spell, the two revealed a misty being sitting on the other end of the cavern, who was laughing on its own. The being was accompanied by two ravens which seemed to be talking to it. The being glanced at them, and shook his head. The two could only wonder if this was just a hallucination.

"You're lost, aren't you? It's been a while since humans have stumbled upon this forsaken place…" the being said.

The being stood up and scratched its chin, thinking of its next action. Jervy and Ivan couldn't help but call out to the being to ask for assistance. The being looked terribly familiar to both of them, but they can't really tell, for the sight spell was slowly fading, blurring any details in the darkness.

"I know what you're thinking… you're going to ask me, "Who are you?" right? Then allow me to introduce myself. I am the Midnight Messenger, as the humans affectionately called Me." the being said.

The misty being's introduction gave a little bit of hope for the two. Upon explaining their situation, and how they got in Juperos in the first place, the misty being couldn't help but laugh. It then ordered the apprentices to take the female, so it can wake her up and replenish her energy.

"Let's not chat here… I have terrible memories of this place." it said.

With a blinding flash, the three apprentices suddenly found themselves in the edge of a plateau. There was a dark cavern noisily guarded by robotic soldiers powered by an unknown energy source below them. In the horizon, they could clearly see a floating island covered with thick fog.

"That's Juno!" Christine shouted.

From their location, the three could clearly see the crumbling lattices that may give way any second. Another blast could technically rip the entire city in half, or worse…

"This is Juperos, our mother city." Jervy said, pointing at the cavern below.

The misty being, which was now sitting at the edge of the plateau, called the three beside him and asked, "Do you know who Thanatos is?"

The three looked at each other, and finally nodded. The being then asked again, "Do you know why Thanatos sealed himself on the highest floor of that tower?" This time, the three shook their heads.

"I see… so your professors never told you the truth." the being said.

"What do you mean? How is Thanatos even involved in this?" Christine asked.

"Seemingly nothing at first…" the being answered.

"What exactly does the seal do?" Christine asked again.

"To put it simply… it is the key for humanity's "salvation"." the being answered.

The apprentices couldn't help but wonder who the being really was, despite its initial introduction earlier. They could only worry about the fate of Juno, which was on the brink of collapse right in front of them.

"You know, if anything else goes wrong… your city will just turn into another Juperos." the being revealed.

"Do you know what caused the explosion?" Jervy asked.

The being smirked. It then called forth its ravens and told them something… and then released them. It turned at the apprentices afterwards.

"I know who did it… he's someone I really knew very much." it revealed.

"Who is it? Tell us!" Ivan said.

The being turned around again, suppressing his laughter. After it calmed itself, it faced the apprentices again. This time, he held a sword in his hand.

"The one who orchestrated the explosion is none other than Loki." the being revealed.

"Loki? Are you pertaining to the god?" Jervy asked.

"Precisely. Though you might ask why he did it…" the being said.

"Tell us, please." Ivan requested.

The being walked closer towards the apprentices, and gave them the sword.

"Listen carefully, young ones. Loki stole a tome from the Archaic Library of Juno to use as a tool for the war he's about to wage in Asgard. To erase any of his traces, he deliberately planned the explosion of your city as well. He plans to use it for his own evil purposes… and kill humanity in the process." the being revealed.

"Do you know where he is?" Christine asked.

"He's currently in Hugel. His plans are already in motion." the being answered.

"Is there any way we can stop him?" Ivan asked.

"Take a good look at the sword you're holding." the being said.

The sword glowed with a purplish color, revealing the seals engraved in Sacred Lettering at the blade itself.

"That sword is called "Bloody Eater", one of the swords of Thanatos. His final usage of it was during the time he finished Morroc." the being said.

"We can kill Loki with this, right? If we succeed, then the whole world is saved…" Jervy said.

The being smirked and told them, "You should all go now. I'll warp you to Hugel. Finish Loki and save this world. The sword will be able to tell you who he is."

With another flash, the three apprentices were nowhere to be found. Only the misty being was left in the plateau's edge. It laughed terribly after the three left.

"Foolish humans! They took the bait! Hook, line, and sinker! This is getting interesting! I just twisted the facts and this is what I get!" the being shouted with glee.


	8. Chapter 7

**Affect Circumplex**

Chapter 7: Counting Backwards

**El Mes Plateau Sub Station, 2 hours before the Erasure**

Arnulf wiped the sweat from his brow as he stopped his bicycle in front of the substation situated between Hugel and Juno. Sitting comfortably in front of him was a young noblewoman whom he decided to protect ever since they were young.

After getting off the bicycle, the two decided to rest at one of the benches of the secluded substation. People rarely visit this location unless repairs were necessary, thus the absence of a ticket booth. In case one decides to ride the locomotive from this point, they pay the conductor instead.

"Audrey… what happened back there?" Arnulf asked the lady, who was still shaking in fear. He put his hand on her shoulder to calm her down, which worked instantly. Arnulf could clearly see the distress in the lady's eyes. He needed answers, and the noblewoman knew it.

"That sage… he's going after Locke. He thinks Locke stole the tome from Juno's Library! I know he's innocent, Arnulf! I know he wouldn't do such a thing!" Audrey said, grasping the delivery boy's shirt as she tried to hold back her tears. She had trusted her butler with her life… but this event simply changed everything.

"You trusted Locke too much, Audrey." Arnulf said.

"Of course! Why wouldn't I?" Audrey answered, her tears finally flowing.

The delivery boy took his handkerchief and dabbed it on the noblewoman's cheek. Staring back at him were eyes filled with worry and doubt. There was only one thing he could do to ease the pain of his lover. Arnulf couldn't hold back anymore.

Arnulf held the noblewoman's hands gently, gripping it a few seconds later to assure her that he will always be with her. The lady, amused by the gesture of her lover, decided to lean on his shoulders in order to forget the events earlier that afternoon.

There was no one else around to disturb them.

Audrey knew what to expect at times like this. Whenever Arnulf gets the chance to find them alone, he would always embrace her and remind her of his never-ending love. She knew it so much that her body reacts automatically whenever Arnulf's lips meets hers, making every inch of her body jolt instinctively.

She felt her worries slip away into oblivion, for she knew that the man she was with right now would take care of her, caress her to sleep, and somehow manage to play with her body as carefully as possible. Arnulf was the best for her… and she never had enough.

Exhausting herself, Audrey closed her eyes and felt the warmness of her lover within her. She once again experienced happiness and satisfaction, which were enough to drive her crazy… and sleepy for now. Audrey's sight grew dim, and she smiled before finally falling in Arnulf's arms.

Arnulf then took the sleeping noblewoman, carried her like a newly-wed bride, and positioned her comfortably into the bicycle. He took care not to awaken her, for he didn't want to see those weary eyes for the time being. Once he and Audrey were comfortably seated, he grabbed the handles and called out softly.

"Sleipnir… please make the ride comfortable for her." Arnulf said.

The bicycle emanated a dark aura, but stopped short as a locomotive passed by on the branch line. Arnulf then remembered that all lines heading to Juno were cancelled that afternoon, which reminded him of the terrible explosion that he witnessed earlier on his way to Hugel.

Arnulf covered Audrey's ears with his hands as the locomotive screeched while turning on the bend heading for Hugel. He could clearly see the passengers inside going about their everyday lives. Some looked distressed, some looked happy, while others plain emotionless.

He was about to order Sleipnir again when he noticed a bright, purple glow at the rear end of the locomotive. Feeling that there was something off with the situation, he waited for a few minutes after the locomotive passed by, and thought deeply.

"Sleipnir… please secure Audrey. Make the ride comfortable for her as usual." he said while patting the bicycle's handles.

A dark aura emanated from the bicycle and crept its way to surround the sleeping noblewoman, securing her in position. Arnulf thanked the spirit possessing the bicycle, and promised to clean it up after the trip.

"Something's wrong, Sleipnir… I know you felt it too." Arnulf said, finally putting his foot on the pedal.

The dark aura then formed a path beside the railroad tracks, allowing the bicycle to traverse the terrain with extreme ease.

Arnulf was able to keep up with the locomotive, taking care not to alert anyone on board. The purple glow was still on the rear end, and no one inside seemed to notice it at all. Everything was normal inside the locomotive as far as his eyes could tell.

A bespectacled lady sitting by the window smiled at the delivery boy at the side of the tracks, and waved her hand. Arnulf recognized her, and waved back.

**El Mes Plateau Branch Line, 1 hour & 37 minutes before the Erasure**

Three men awoke from their sleep and found themselves bound in chains and loaded in the rear end of a locomotive. Groaning in pain due to the beating they suffered earlier from a certain butler, the three decided to call it quits. There was only one thing left for them to do, which was escaping from a bespectacled lieutenant who they knew would not leave them alone by any chance if they were being transported back to Juno or Hugel.

"H-hey… Lenard. I found something." a man called Xavier said. He handed out a metallic wire and gave it to their "leader".

"Finally, some use for you idiots…" Lenard said, taking the wire. He then ordered Xavier to wake Harvey up.

"Oh… you're still alive. That's… not good." Harvey remarked after seeing the two. He focused his eyes on the two, thinking of the possibility that they have broken the locks they were bound with, but something else bothered him.

"What's wrong?" was Xavier's immediate question. Nothing seemed to be weird in their area, ignoring the fact that they were bound in chains. Lenard snarled at Harvey and told him to spill the beans. What he said to both of them made them squeal like pigs.

"What the heck is this?" Lenard shouted, pointing on his chest. The others seemed to be under the same condition, which he found disturbing.

What the trio found out was that their chests were glowing brightly with a purple tinge. It's as if…

"Don't tell me that butler did this to us! He… he embedded pieces of the Heart in our bodies!" Xavier shouted. Cold sweat dripped from each of their brows. Something felt off about their situation.

"Isn't the heart supposed to give power to those who wield it?" Harvey asked, trying to break the chains, which gave way at the slightest effort.

"Hey! You're right! It's my turn, then." Lenard remarked as the two others were able to break the chains they were bound into with ease. He exerted minimal force upon the shackles in his foot, and it broke as if it was old and rusty.

The trio grinned in unison, and planned an escape from the locomotive. Having noticed that the tracks were heading towards Hugel, they began to ram the door to get to the main hall where the cabins are.

Upon destroying the door after a few attempts, the three ran to the halls and killed the guards by smashing them on the walls. Power was surging through their bodies… something they never felt before… and they were enjoying every bit off it.

Meanwhile, Lieutenant Flireis was bidding the delivery boy riding beside the locomotive farewell. It's been a while since they met, bringing her deliveries on time a few months earlier. As she saw the Ether Brake slow down, she got up from her seat and went out of her cabin to check the condition of the three goons she managed to track down. She sighed, thinking of the hassle she went through just to load them at the rear end of the locomotive.

Flireis was about to let out a yawn when she heard a scream coming from the far end of the hall. What she saw made her grit her teeth in frustration.

The lieutenant immediately recognized them. Glowing eerily with a purple aura, the group headed by Lenard managed to kill the last of the guards in an organized rampage. The passengers haven't been harmed, much to Flireis' relief. She was about to attack the three with her rapier, but she felt something strange about them.

The three men weren't speaking at all. In fact, they were growling like animals. One of them, which she presumed to be a half-conscious Lenard, stepped forward and opened its mouth, speaking at her with a language she never heard before.

Flireis pointed her weapon straight at them, and threatened to attack. The three looked at each other and began to speak. This time Flireis was able to understand what they were saying. The words made her step back in confusion.

"Agony... Misery… Despair…" the three men uttered in unison over and over.

Flireis had enough. She rushed to kill the three before anything weird happens, but she stopped midway as the three transformed into unrecognizable creatures. Each of them talked to her, as if introducing themselves.

"I bear the Fragment of Agony… I am the Dolor of Thanatos." said a small, dark creature wearing a silver-colored mask with an agonized expression.

"I bear the Fragment of Misery… I am the Maero of Thanatos." said a tall, dark creature wearing a chrome-colored mask with a miserable expression.

"I bear the Fragment of Despair… I am the Despero of Thanatos." said the last creature which was covered in flames and wearing an elongated, gray mask with a desperate expression.

The lieutenant wasn't fazed one bit as the creatures slowly lunged and crept towards her. She could still run, she thought. But she was not going to take any chances. She needed assistance, and she knew who to rely on at a time like this.

Flireis dashed inside out of the locomotive's hallway, and climbed a shaft before the creatures can grab her. She pushed herself up the opening, and found a handle to serve as leverage. She was now at the locomotive's roof, clinging tightly to prevent her from slipping to the deadly crags of the plateau below her.

At the same time, the Ether Brake, still following the locomotive by the side of the tracks, noticed movement within the locomotive. Looking at the rear where the purple glow was supposed to be, he was surprised to find that the glow has now transferred to the middle of the locomotive… and on the roof was…

"Lieutenant Flireis! What in Midgard is happening in there?" Arnulf shouted. He sped carefully, making sure that Audrey wouldn't wake up from the bumpy road.

"I have no idea! The prisoners I captured earlier turned into strange creatures! They're calling themselves as representatives of Thanatos!" Flireis shouted back as loud as she can, her voice almost drowned out by the noise of the locomotive's engine.

"I wish I can hold another passenger! I'm sorry!" Arnulf told the Lieutenant. He sped a little more, closer to where Flireis was located. He can see her struggling to get up and stand on the locomotive's roof.

"I… I never asked for your help! So don't say things like that!" Flireis shouted.

Arnulf closed in at the locomotive, holding out his hand. "Jump! Sleipnir will grab you in case I fail!"

Flireis wanted to take the man's hand, but something held her back. She couldn't describe the feelings surging through her heart and mind.

She wanted to be saved, but somehow… She didn't want Arnulf to be the one to do it at all… she knew she can fight the eerie creatures she saw earlier, but she felt doubt at the sight of them.

She knew it was her pride that was holding her back.

"Just do it! I don't care if you're clothes get stuck! I don't get care if you're heavy! Just jump! You're life is important!" Arnulf shouted even more, in an attempt to convince the bespectacled lady who was still trying to stand on the roof.

Flireis looked sharply at the delivery boy. Arnulf knew what to expect.

As soon as the locomotive's roof ripped open, Flireis du Lucille jumped for her life into the arms of a special friend. She knew it was the only way to escape… and she felt better to have finally decided.

Arnulf made Sleipnir place the Lieutenant behind him, and secured her comfortably. It took another few seconds before the three creatures jumped off the roof and headed north, towards an ancient tower. Arnulf pedaled faster towards Hugel.

**El Mes Plateau, 1 hour & 30 minutes before the Erasure**

Shahiv and Braer, natives of Veins and Rachel respectively, are now currently "enjoying" their supposed investigative excursion. Instead of looking for a certain giant with pointy ears, they instead found a hitchhiking female sage who just picked up another male sage that is being pursued by deadly twins and a hot-headed female who kept barking orders.

"The brake's terribly damaged, Shahiv!" Braer told the man sitting beside him who was busy throwing the fruits from the basket to the pursuing group.

"I don't care, Braer! Just click the emergency button!" Shahiv shouted as he threw another fruit at the twins. Cursing after another miss, he drew out a larger fruit and aimed for the hot-headed female's head.

"Vhie! Stop running away from the law! Get down from that contraption this instant!" the female shouted, trying to convince the two sages riding with Shahiv and Braer.

"I don't want to, Althii! You never listen to anything that "fugitives" have to say! The government of Juno is corrupt enough to NOT believe us when we KNOW the truth behind everything they have been doing!" Vhie shouted back to Althii, who was still pursuing them.

The damage that the wagon was suffering was enough for a normal locomotive to give in and stop for a repair, but Braer kept driving and maneuvering the contraption until they were about to reach a locomotive track.

"It's no good, Shahiv! I see the El Mes Branch Line up ahead! We're going to crash once the wheels trip on the tracks!" Braer shouted, his voice was being drowned by both the engine noise and the shouting people behind him. He had seen happier times, he thought.

"Damn it, you left me with no other choice…" Shahiv whispered in disgust. He then threw the basket and scattered the remaining fruits on the craggy plateau, and proceeded to push a button beside the steering wheel.

Before Braer and the rest could react, the wagon's plating disintegrated, threatening to slice anything it flew past. Althii and the twins managed to avoid getting run through by the shedding metallic parts of the wagon, but noticed something different about the internal structure of the contraption. With a deafening screech, the wagon's parts rearranged in mid-air, finally forming a familiar machine that Althii and the twins only saw in Juno's history books.

"That can't be! What is an Archdam doing in the hands of mercenaries?" Althii said in disbelief. Things were getting out of hand, much to her frustration.

Braer maneuvered the Archdam to jump over the locomotive tracks, but was stopped short as three creatures ran them over with tremendous speed. The resulting shock made the Archdam's circuits to malfunction, finally breaking its mainframe and collapsing to the ground from mid-air. The machine landed with considerable force a few yards away from the tracks. Althii couldn't see any movement from any of the machine's occupants. Fearing they were dead, she jumped over and reached out to touch Vhie, who was still hugging Eilmahn since the chase began.

"What were those creatures?" the twins asked amongst themselves, discussing the event instead of helping the passengers out of the broken contraption.

"I have no idea, Nelsvee… Nellyne. Now, will you PLEASE help me take them out of the wreckage?" Althii ordered.

A few minutes after Althii and the twins managed to get everyone out, Vhie was able to regain consciousness, and immediately took Eilmahn in her arms. Althii knew what to do this time.

"Before I arrest the both of you… will you please tell me why you are wanted by the government of Juno in the first place?" Althii spoke calmly to the female sage.

Vhie stared coldly at their supposed warden's eyes and replied, "We knew the truth… that's all."

"Explain yourself… in behalf of your partner and those two mercenaries." Althii went on. She walked closer to Vhie to make sure she wouldn't be able to escape.

"Oh, those two? We don't know them… I just… hitchhiked and followed the trail to Thanatos tower, knowing that Eilmahn would be there… and he was." Vhie answered. She looked back at Althii's questioning eyes, hoping to satisfy her. Althii simply nodded, signaling her to continue.

"We didn't steal anything… but we knew information that the sages of Juno held back all these years from the public, thereby isolating us from the rest of humanity. You heard of the stolen tome from the library, right? We saw who did it, and I bet your superiors knew who the real culprit is."

"Tell me more." Althii simply replied. She wasn't going to buy the information in the first place, but something felt different about Vhie's statements. Something felt odd.

"It may sound weird, but the one who stole that tome was a tall man with extremely pointy ears… wearing a butler's suit. He had pieces of Ymir's heart with him, and he was riding a bicycle with a dark aura." Vhie went on. She was about to speak again when a disgruntled voice came from behind her.

"Did you just say that a tall butler with pointy ears did it? I remember seeing one, but without the pointy ears." Shahiv asked as he shook Braer to consciousness.

Vhie and Althii exchanged knowing glances. Somehow, they were starting to connect pieces of this uncontrollable puzzle. Althii ordered Shahiv to explain further, which revealed more information that prevented her from taking Vhie into custody.

No sooner than Shahiv stopped talking, Braer began speaking and told everyone that the butler DID have pointy ears… remembering the time he was holding the butler in his arms after he and Shahiv crashed in front of him. "He didn't even get a single scratch! I knew we hit him squarely… and accidentally during that time in Einbroch… and I can assure you, he does have pointy ears, concealed neatly behind his hair. I just didn't mention it to Shahiv because I felt something different about him." Braer explained.

"Why did your wagon malfunction earlier in Einbroch?" Althii probed. She was near in solving the puzzle.

"You see, this wagon… err, Archdam, is powered by Unrefined Hetarium. It only malfunctions if the parts fall off, which rarely happens, or if there is a strong presence of Ymir's Heart within a 500-meter radius." Shahiv said.

"I think we have found him. By any chance, did he tell you his name?" Althii went on asking.

"Locke. He said his name was Locke." Braer answered immediately.

To the group's surprise, Eilmahn began speaking as well, perhaps awakened by the conversation. "You know, Lenard told me something earlier when he fought me…"

"Out with it, Eilmahn. We need the pieces of this puzzle to fit." Althii said. Eilmahn nodded and relayed the information.

"So that explains why the Archdam malfunctioned this time…" Shahiv said, scratching his chin. He went on by stating that the engine still had enough power to run up to Hugel despite having the brakes destroyed. Althii and Vhie finally understood everything when Shahiv told them that the Archdam detected three fragments of Ymir's heart the moment the creatures slammed and ran them over.

"We only need to reach Hugel and find this guy named Locke. Though we do not know who or what caused that explosion in Juno earlier. We can't go back there yet." Althii concluded. The group was about to pack their things and repair the Archdam when Eilmahn told them that he felt Lenard's presence when the three creatures ran the Archdam over. "One of them looked at me and growled… and I sensed that it could have been him, for he may have been exposed to the Heart pieces he had stolen from Hugel… and it turned him and his lackeys into monsters…" he explained.

The group was then alerted by the twins who sighted a bicycle enveloped with a dark aura that just overtook an incoming locomotive… with a rooftop neatly ripped open.

**Hugel Station, 1 hour & 24 minutes before the Erasure**

"What are we doing here, Savech? You just pulled me out of the headquarters…" Siria said to a young man while catching her breath. A few minutes earlier, Savech grabbed her hands after she told him about the explosion in Juno. Little did she know that in doing so, Savech will terribly get upset.

"We're going back to Juno! Our families are in danger!" Savech replied. His eyes told Siria that he was deadly determined to get on board a locomotive at any instant. However, that determination seemed to fade into oblivion when they heard what the station executive said over the loudspeaker.

Again, we would like to announce that ALL trips bound for Juno are cancelled until further notice. Officials are investigating a supposed explosion that happened earlier this afternoon. We thank you all for your understanding.

Siria felt cold as Savech gripped her hand tighter. Ever since they left for the station, Savech didn't let go of her even when they ran across the mining facility.

"Sa-Savech… it hurts…" Siria told her friend. Upon hearing her, Savech let go of Siria's hand and apologized.

"We couldn't do anything for them, Siria. We couldn't do anything! Damn it! All we need is one freaking locomotive, and we couldn't even get one!" Savech broke down in front of his friend. Siria simply embraced the boy, and consoled him.

"We should go back to the headquarters now… I'll cook a meal for you." Siria said, trying to calm her friend. It seemed to work, as Savech was now drying up his eyes with his wrists.

The two was about to exit the station when a distressed voice called to both of them from behind. Siria looked back, and found a tall and handsome butler approaching them. Savech narrowed his eyes, scanning the butler from head to toe.

"Hello, young ones… My name is Locke, and I'm currently lost." the butler revealed to the two.

"I see… You're currently in Hugel Station, mister. Where are you heading, anyway?" Siria asked.

"I'm looking for the route that will take me to Odin's Temple. Do you know how I can get there from here?" Locke inquired.

Siria scratched her head. She obviously hadn't heard of the place, having been raised in Juno with Savech. She was about to tell the butler that she knew no such route, when Savech interrupted her.

"I heard from the locals that one needs to take a boat to reach Odin's Temple." Savech told the butler.

Locke thanked the two for being "cooperative" and proceeded after getting directions from Savech. He left without another word, and stepped out of the station. Savech and Siria left the station afterwards using the alternative exit.

Upon exiting the station, Savech and Siria were stopped by three teenagers dressed in apprentice's clothes.

"Um, Excuse me… do you know where the Engineering Facility is? We're looking for Lieutenant Flireis…" said a lad who introduced himself as Jervy.

"May I know what business you have with the Lieutenant?" Siria asked the group.

"We have been searching for someone named Loki. We thought it would be better to ask the Lieutenant of the Engineering Facility… since she does get the classified reports." explained another apprentice who introduced herself as Christine.

"How can we trust your group? I see one of you is carrying a rather sharp blade…" Savech commented.

"Oh, you mean this sword? It's for protection. Who knows when a disaster is going to happen? We can defend ourselves with this." answered another apprentice who introduced himself as Ivan. He then struck the sword cleanly onto the tiled floor, showing off a bit.

"Please, come with us. We'll take you to the Engineering Facility Headquarters. As you can see, we are under the command of Lieutenant Flireis. We are to follow protocol in case something like this happens." Siria explained.

"You sure know how to handle these kids… I'm quite surprised the cook can act like the Lieutenant herself." Savech said. Siria simply shoved him to the side, which made the apprentices trust them more.

Siria and Savech then left towards the Headquarters, taking the group of apprentices with them. They were about to make a turn as they neared the facility, when the sword glowed eerily with a purple tinge. Ivan's hand moved on its own, and pointed the sword to a certain direction.

"Is that thing a compass? That direction heads straight to Odin's Temple once you take a boat ride…" Savech informed the apprentices.

"Well, the owner of this sword told us that it can detect Loki… I wonder if this is what he meant." Ivan revealed.


	9. Chapter 8

**Affect Circumplex**

Chapter 8: Pain and Pleasure

**Rachel Temple, 1 hour & 54 Minutes before the Erasure**

Panicked citizens rushed towards the Temple after news broke out that the Pope was in grave danger. Multitudes gathered at the gate of the temple, demanding the presence of the Pope instantly, in order to make sure she was safe. Finding the gates of the Temple locked, the angry mob of protesters decided to break through the security and bypass the sentries inside in order to save the Pope from harm.

After consecutive rams, the Temple's gates gave way and the citizens poured in, like water escaping from a broken dike. They pushed through anything and anyone in their path whether they were soldiers or Temple attendants, the crowd went ahead.

The protesters soon reached the Main Hall of the Temple, where they began planning their next assault to find the Pope. Everyone was enthusiastic to be part of the rescue mission, and wanted the event to be remembered in history.

It was but a dream that will forever remain in the back of their minds.

Before anyone from the crowd could set foot on the stairs leading to the Temple's second floor, a misty being suddenly appeared upon the steps. Thinking it was one of the enemies they had to crush, the crowd immediately charged the misty being's location.

The misty being laughed at the multitude of protesters and snapped its fingers. A second later, everyone collapsed on the Temple's cold, marble floor… lifeless. It then shook its head and turned to face a frail girl leaning on the wall across the Main Hall. Its smile turned into a sickly grin.

"My, my… I really thought you were dead." the being said.

The girl didn't answer. Instead, she slowly climbed the steps and headed towards the being's direction. Her expression was sullen, as if forcefully awakened from a deep slumber.

"I underestimated you… I never thought that anyone could break the spell-cancelling seal…" the girl said. Her eyes were staring straight at the misty being's smirk.

"You thought I was some kind of a mediocre magician? I am much more than that, little lady." the being said.

"What are you up to, Odin? Why did you have to kill all of those innocent citizens?" the girl shouted. She struggled to fully stand up to reach the being's location, but her knees gave way.

"How come you're so concerned about them, my little Pope? You don't even know them... and besides, they are just plain collateral. Humans are no less than cannon fodder to me. I am currently busy with far important matters that don't concern humanity's safety." Odin replied.

The Pope grasped the nearest furniture she could find and stood up with difficulty. Odin was going to do something terrible, she thought. But what could it be? What is he even doing in Rachel in the first place?

"I have a request, little Pope." Odin told the girl.

"What do you want?" the Pope replied. She felt helpless and forsaken. Her faith was faltering at the thought of death.

"I want you to remove the seal protecting the Blue Edge at the deepest cavern of the Ice Dungeon. I will have to use it against a friend of mine…" Odin said.

The young Pope thought deeply. The Blue Edge was sealed within the Ice Dungeon ever since the defeat of Naght Sieger millennia ago. It was one of the weapons made of Promeon, the strongest material in Midgard and capable of injuring a god.

"You're going to kill Loki?" the Pope gasped. It was the only reason Odin could possibly say. But why would he? Things never escalated like this ever since the history of Asgard. Unless…

"I have to, little Pope. If I don't then I will lose my status as the All-father before any of the other gods can react. Loki has become a great threat not only to me, but all of humanity. Now, would you be so kind to remove the seal for me?" Odin said. His voice sounded coarse at the mention of Loki's name.

"And if I refuse?" the Pope immediately asked.

Odin swept across the room and lunged at the Pope. Without warning, he straightened his sharp fingernails and aimed for the girl's throat. He then made the killing blow as swiftly as possible… but failed. A barrier stood in between him and the girl.

"What are you? No human is capable of blocking any of my attacks!" Odin questioned the Pope.

"I am protected by Freya at all times, for me alone believes in her with my whole heart and soul." the Pope answered with a smile.

"Fine, then… I'll do it myself! I'll handle Freya on my own later." Odin shouted with disgust.

Odin then disappeared immediately from the Temple grounds, leaving no trace of his visit. A few minutes later, a severe ground tremor was felt in the entire city of Rachel.

**Hugel Shoreline, 1 hour & 27 Minutes before the Erasure**

"I'm wasting time. I need to find that wretch who stole this tome…" murmured an old sage as he made his way to the center of the town. He had arrived in Hugel a few minutes earlier via a portal created by Odin himself, after being given instructions to follow a young noblewoman who was directly linked to a man named Locke.

Locke was his only suspect, for he knew his true identity. Odin told him everything ever since the tome was deposited in the Archaic Library. He was warned in advance of the possibility of the tome being stolen.

Composing himself, the old sage took the recovered tome – Glacialis Trucido – from his coat and browsed through the pages. He never had the chance to study scared lettering, but he knew that immense power was hidden within its pages.

"If only Eric was here… he could help me out." the sage said. He was almost at the town square. He knew that the Engineering Facility of Juno was somewhere in this area. All he had to do was to find it.

The old sage kept on walking towards the town square. Hugel was supposedly a bustling town, but he felt something off with the place.

Everything was too silent.

"Klaus." a voice called from behind the sage.

The sage turned slowly to face the source of the voice. It could only come from him, he thought. Klaus' expression turned grim at the sight that greeted him.

"You wretch…" Klaus murmured to a man dressed as a butler was standing at the far end of the alley.

"Isn't that such a nice greeting? I expected a really warm welcome from you, Klaus…" the butler answered.

"I have no time for your games, Locke. I'm going to finish you off right now!" Klaus said. He then flipped open the tome he held in his hands and stared at the sole page written in the lettering of Juno.

"What are you doing with that tome? The Pope of Rachel is supposed to have it!" Locke said. Earlier, he had given it to her mistress for her to deliver it personally to the Pope. How come Klaus had it with him? What is Glacialis Trucido doing in his hands? Locke could only think of the worst.

The sage smiled smugly and ignored the butler's question. He was busily focusing his energy to unleash a devastating spell afterwards. Locke kept on shouting at him, demanding an explanation, but his words fell on deaf ears.

"You can quit yapping, lad… With this spell, I'll manage to injure you so badly, even your godly status won't be able to handle it properly." the sage said. Bluish spheres of energy were now floating around him, dancing in a rhythm that resembled the way buildings are toppled after an earthquake.

"What did you do to my mistress?" Locke questioned the sage. He didn't care if the tome fell in the wrong hands this time, he cared for the safety of his one and only companion in this mortal plane.

"I killed her." Klaus immediately answered. He lied, though. Klaus knew that rage can block anyone from thinking straight, and he knew that Locke cannot attack him properly in that condition. He knew he had the upper hand.

Or so he thought.

Before Klaus could complete the spell, Locke dashed unto him with speed comparable to that of the spirit of Sleipnir. Locke grabbed the tome from Klaus and kicked him on the abdomen.

"You bastard… Do you know what you're doing? You're putting humanity in danger!" Klaus said. He was coughing up blood as he tried to stand up.

Locke smirked and took the sage by the collar. He held the sage firmly and threatened to choke him to death.

"I'm doing this to save humanity, Klaus. Open your eyes! You are being deceived by Odin!" Locke said.

The sage laughed at the statement and told the butler that he was not interested in any of his explanations.

"You're getting so worked up just because of that little girl… it's a good thing I silenced her earlier…" Klaus said.

That did it for Locke. With a quick swipe, he banged the old sage's body into a brick wall and then took a purple glowing material from his pocket. He then jammed the material into Klaus' chest as the sage resisted tremendously. In the end, Locke was able to finish Klaus off and awakened a being that was sealed millennia ago. He then left the scene and pressed forward to his destination.

Klaus' body then morphed into a dark, hulking being wearing a silver mask, and constantly emanated a dark aura.

"I bear the fragment of Hatred… I am the Odium of Thanatos." the being grumbled. It then walked slowly towards the town square, as if looking for someone.

**Thanatos Tower, 1 hour & 20 Minutes before the Erasure**

Atop the ancient tower located at the northern plains of Juno was an old man. His hands trembled as the cold winds passed through his location at the very middle of the tower. Underneath his foot was a glowing seal in which Sacred Lettering was inscribed. His breathing was shallow, an evidence of the extreme conditions that kept this place untouched by humans ever since the defeat of Morroc during the past millennia.

"Just a little more, and Bloody Eater's final form will manifest itself in this mortal plane… never in my lifetime had I dreamed of seeing this spectacle." the old man said as he combed his white hair with his deft hands. Time was taking its toll on his body, yet his mind was never tired in planning ahead.

"I wonder how the All Father is doing…" he murmured as he stared at the glowing seal beneath him.

The old man then took out a tome and flipped it open to a page where a weapon was hand-drawn. He read the weapon's name and description eagerly.

"Catastrophe… isn't it?" the old man said. He flipped another page and read.

"Upon the completion of Bloody Eater's four soul counters, it will take on a new form that is entirely compatible with the Twin Edges of Naght Sieger. The three blades will eventually bind after the Frozen Massacre spell has been used to lock each piece into place."

The old man smiled with excitement. He knew that the Erasure was only a few minutes away.

"I should release the first stage of the Seal of Thanatos… that way, those fragments will hurry to reach my location." he said.

The old man closed the tome he held and left it floating in mid-air in front of him. He breathed in heavily, and exhaled afterwards. He was now ready to witness the birth of a new era… one that will be dominated by power.

"Rii'ne… Ell'iaa… L'aa… Ell'iaa… Anii… Sicel… Ell'iaa…" he chanted softly as the winds fiercely battered his fragile body.

He then touched the seal beneath him, and in an instant, the seal's glow faded. The Sacred Letters inscribed on the floor became no little less than a child's graffiti as soon as the first seal of Thanatos was broken… after a millennia.

"This is all I need to do for now…" the old man said. He then sat in the middle of the now-broken seal and felt the wind hitting his face.

"I wonder how long it will take for them to come." he said.

No sooner after the old man uttered these words, an explosion shook the Tower.

The old man stood up and turned to look behind him. Upon seeing his three visitors, he chuckled. Everything was in place according to the All Father's plan, he thought.

Snarling at the old man were three creatures who each wore a unique mask. The old man didn't seem to be fazed by the presence of the monsters, and calmly drew out another tome.

"Who are you? Who gave you the permission to break the Seal of Thanatos?" questioned one of the masked creatures.

"Do I really need to introduce myself?" the old man answered.

"Typical humans… destroying anything they find useless…" said another masked creature.

"I am a bit surprised that you can talk… considering that you are no more than familiars of a far-stronger being." the old man said.

"Just answer the question, human!" shouted the last creature.

The old man stepped back and laughed maniacally. Everything DID go according to the All Father's plan.

"You wanted to know who I really am, right?" the old man said to the three creatures. The hulking beasts didn't seem to be listening to his words, and instead lunged and prepared to attack him.

"We only need to ask once, human!" shouted one of the creatures. A second later, the three creatures sped toward the old man and aimed their claws at him.

The old man stepped back a little more and touched the ground for a second time. In an instant, the attacking creatures sprawled helplessly on the floor, unable to move an inch. The old man knew he had won long before the events happened in front of him.

"Hear me, useless creatures… I am Marcus Brifon, the greatest Lord of Morroc. I alone serve the All Father with extreme loyalty. I alone follow his footsteps. I alone accept his teachings. I alone listen to his predictions of the future. Ever since my childhood, I have seen this moment happen over and over, and I have created the ultimate defense against all of my would-be attackers."

Without another word, Lord Marcus flicked his fingers and extracted the souls of the three creatures and encased them inside a blank tome. He then opened a portal and left the Tower in search of the final soul counter for Bloody Eater.

**Hugel Ore Refining Facility, 1hour & 11 Minutes before the Erasure**

Instead of heading towards the Engineering Facility, the three apprentices headed towards the direction that Bloody Eater pointed at. Ignoring the two subordinates of Lieutenant Flireis, the three sped towards the Ore Refining Facility as fast as they could, determined to hunt down Loki, as the Midnight Messenger ordered them to.

"Hey, are we really doing the right thing?" Jervy asked the two other apprentices he was running with.

"The Midnight Messenger has NEVER been wrong!" Ivan answered immediately. Ever since the misty being gave them the Bloody Eater, he was the one holding onto it for the longest duration. He reasoned out that the two others can't handle a sword properly, so he "volunteered" instead.

"I have a bad feeling about this! It feels like we're walking directly to a trap!" Christine told the others. She was in the same standpoint as Jervy. She never questioned the motives of the Midnight Messenger in the first place, much to her disgust.

Bloody Eater kept on glowing and pointed its edge at the refinery. The three apprentices hoped to find Loki and get an explanation before they could take any drastic action.

"This feels so stupid, guys." Jervy went on. He kept on pointing out that there was a reason for them NOT to believe the Messenger's words. He painstakingly told the other two that they are powerless against anyone since their magical abilities are far from satisfactory. Furthermore, their skills in fighting can only be compared to that of a raging chicken. Even with the help of Bloody Eater, the chance of them defeating a god with it is close to zero.

"I disagree." was Ivan's constant answer whenever Jervy asserted something about their current situation. He did sound antagonistic, but he believed that things happen for a reason, and that reason alone is enough for them to act as a team and defeat a god if need be. Even without proper training, Ivan believed that with luck and a little bit of strategy, they could pull off the impossible… and probably save the day without them noticing a difference at all.

"There is something really off about this, think about it for a second." was Christine's assessment of the situation. She always thought first before acting, but is easily carried away when in a group. She earlier wished to further question the Midnight Messenger to gain better understanding of the situation, but she was hindered to do so when the two others accepted the Bloody Eater and accepted the task to kill Loki… without even knowing much except their supposed enemy's background. It sure proves to her that the Midnight Messenger can manipulate people and events just by using the power of words. And if her intuition serves her right, then she and the group are currently walking into a one-way alley laden with traps and other kinds of surprises. Worse, they could all die and they would realize it at the final moment.

Bloody Eater glowed intensely as soon as the apprentices reached the Ore Refinery. The three scouted the area, looking for anyone suspicious. After a thorough inspection, they found nothing weird within the vicinity, except that Bloody Eater kept on glowing excitedly. They decided to give up the search, thinking that the Messenger was simply messing with them.

No sooner as the trio decided to call it quits, a hulking masked beast crashed into the refinery and destroyed anything in its path. It snarled at the apprentices the moment it found the Bloody Eater in their hands. The creature lunged quickly, threatening to slice any of the members to pieces. The three however, picked up the pace instantly and concentrated to kill the monster by using the Bloody Eater.

Obviously having the upper hand, the Odium of Thanatos released a powerful wave of energy to disrupt the apprentices from focusing their magic unto the sword. It was sentient enough to warn the three of the consequences when they do not surrender the claim for the Bloody Eater.

The three, oblivious to the demands of the monster, kept on pumping energy to the sword and aimed in squarely at the Odium's chest. Basing their tactics from their library books, they knew that it was only two organs that kept any organic being alive… the brain and the heart. Removing any of the two instantly kills the organism.

In a somewhat suicidal manner, the three charged towards the Odium in order to finish it. The creature reacted immediately to deflect the attack.

In a weird twist of events, the Bloody Eater automatically followed the Odium and managed to bury itself at the creature's head… without anyone holding it.

The creature immediately vaporized upon contact with the Bloody Eater and was "eaten" by the sword's aura, which turned darker than usual. The apprentices had no idea what really was going on, yet proceeded to get the Bloody Eater from where it was.

After getting the Bloody Eater, the trio heard a voice of an old man calling them from behind.

"Hello, young ones… I am a representative of the Midnight Messenger…" the old man greeted the apprentices.

"Is that so? What do you want from us?" Jervy asked.

"The Messenger wanted you to return Bloody Eater to him… he says that there has been a fatal mistake in his part." the old man said.

The apprentices talked amongst themselves and went to the old man to hand over the sword. The old man's smile turned into a sickly grin.

**Aldebaran, 1 hour before the Erasure**

Eric woke up to find himself lying in a comfortable bed inside one of Aldebaran's fortresses. Earlier this afternoon, he managed to escape from the explosion that happened in Juno and make his way out of the barricade.

"I have to leave now… My family… I have to see them…" he told himself over and over as he struggled to get up from his bed. A red smear was visible in the white bed sheet had slept upon. He inspected his arms to find scratches and wounds that he never knew he had. It must have been the debris that flew at him as he escaped, he thought. It was a good thing that his wounds were properly dressed with bandages. He also knew however, that any sudden movement may open his wounds once again.

Mustering his strength, the Librarian grasped the wooden door in order to begin his escape. But before he was even able to open the door, it swung open with sheer force that it got him off-balance.

Eric's supposed fall was timely stopped by a muscular High Wizard who the Librarian recognized as the man that saved him earlier when he was about to collapse.

"You're Malchuz… isn't that right?" Eric asked the High Wizard.

"That's right, pops." Malchuz answered. He then asked the Librarian who he was.

After a brief introduction, Eric decided to cut to the chase and informed Malchuz that he wanted to escape from the fortress immediately. Malchuz obviously disagreed, telling the Librarian that if he allows him to go, then he will be tortured indefinitely by a certain Ranger and Master Smith…

"I cannot let you go, no matter what happens, pops." Malchuz said over and over at the Librarian's request.

"I already told you a dozen times… My family is in danger! My wife and my daughter… I don't know what may happen to them if I don't leave at once!" Eric kept on bargaining to convince the High Wizard.

"No can do, pops. I just follow what my "friends" tell me to do… and I'm no baby-sitter." Malchuz answered.

"Then in that case, you might want to see THIS." Eric excitedly told the High Wizard after he took out a small tome from his pocket.

"Huh? You're bribing me with a book? That's lame, pops." Malchuz said. If one really wanted to escape from him, then they should offer him anything soft… not some old parchment that has been eaten by mice over the past millennia.

"Look closely, you flimsy dork!" Eric shouted. He felt his wound open up.

Malchuz leaned closer and stared at the tome's cover. The letters were kind off weird for him, but they were quite readable…

"D… do… Doomsday?" Malchuz said slowly. He read the title of the tome again. Then a third. He paused for a while for a reaction from the Librarian, but the man seemed quiet… unlike his demeanor a few seconds ago.

Malchuz inquired if there was something wrong with the Librarian, and offered assistance to get him back to bed. He was about to call his friends for more help when the Librarian spoke to him.

"Where… where did you learn to read Sacred Lettering?" Eric questioned the High Wizard. He knew that only a few people knew how to read the script used by the gods themselves. Such a flimsy-looking dork being able to read the said text was a complete joke.

"Sacred Lettering? You mean that modified chicken scratch? I can read them ever since I was a child. I studied them myself… with the help of some beautiful women." Malchuz revealed.

"But that's… impossible." Eric said in disbelief. He had spent his life in studying the Sacred Lettering of the gods… and it was pretty difficult for him… but the High Wizard in front of him was not as stupid as he initially looked.

Malchuz was about to exit the room when Eric called him again.

"Malchuz, if you take this tome… you will become Midgard's most powerful magic-user. You see… this tome was authored by none other than the All Father himself. The moment you unleash this tome's power, you will know what it feels to be a god." Eric explained.

"Hmm… I wonder… but if that spell of yours can make me popular with the ladies, then why not?" Malchuz said.

"I only ask that you allow me to leave. In return, you get this tome as well as my daughter." Eric said.

"Wait… what? I didn't ask for your daughter's hand! All I need is the tome, pops!" Malchuz protested.

"Consider it a bonus, Malchuz… that way, you will never worry about women, since you will always have one that will take care of you." Eric said.

Malchuz raised his arms up in defeat. The offer was too good for him to pass. Though before he could thank the Librarian, he was nowhere in sight, leaving behind his tome as well as a message written in blood at the back of the tome. Malchuz blushed.


	10. Chapter 9

**Affect Circumplex**

Chapter 9: Finding Logic in a Godly Equation

**Abyss Lake, 1 hour & 25 Minutes before the Erasure**

After finding the incoming locomotive's roof ripped open, as well as finding Lieutenant Flireis together with the Ether Brake, Althii commanded everyone with her to head for Abyss Lake. Vhie and the rest had no qualms to the orders, since they are currently in a "safe" position given the turn of events that happened earlier. Everyone still had questions that needed clear and objective answers.

"So where do we begin?" Eilmahn said after everyone was able to rest by the lakeside. Everyone turned their heads towards him, and then looked away, as if thinking of a question. Seeing no progress from the group, Eilmahn "volunteered" to start first. Everyone gathered around the sage and started listening. The sage knew the repercussions of sharing the information he was a bout to tell the group, but that did not matter anymore for him. Everything that happened during the day is enough proof that something is wrong with the world.

"Listen carefully. Vhie and I found out something horrible during our spying in Juno. While it looks unimportant, leaving it as is will make matters worse." Eilmahn began. Vhie gazed at her mission partner, finding how much he had changed overnight after escaping from Juno at daybreak. She moved in closer toward him, listening earnestly.

"Everyone knows what Hetarium is, right? It is an element abundant in the area surrounding Veins. When subjected to the right heat and pressure, Hetarium becomes a useful power source. But what happens if you go beyond that?"

Shahiv and Braer felt a shivers down their spine as they remembered that Hetarium powered their very own Archdam.

"Lenard told me earlier this morning… that when Hetarium is subjected to immense heat and pressure, it becomes something else. It becomes a material powerful enough to make cities float for millennia. Such a power source exists in the very core of Juno…, which we all know as the Heart of Ymir. That explains the bag he was carrying earlier… it was a mixture of Hetarium and pieces of it became converted to Hearts. I saw that Lenard wanted to make money out of it, so I tried to stop him. He doesn't know the consequence if someone manages to contain the Heart and use it for their ambitions."

Althii, Nelsvee, and Nellyne began talking amongst themselves. Somehow, Eilmahn's revelations were making sense.

"Vhie and I discovered that the Academy itself is researching to utilize the Heart in order to create a mechanized army in order to spread Juno's influence in Midgard. Klaus appeared to be cooperating with a certain Lord from Morroc and if our hearing didn't fail us, the two of them are planning to start a war sometime in the future."

Everyone fell silent at Eilmahn's claim, for all knew that Klaus von Streisand was a respected figure not only in Juno, but also to the rest of Midgard. Hearing that the renowned sage was planning to start a war was terribly disturbing. What was he after?

Shahiv raised his hand to indicate that it was his turn to speak. Everyone gazed at him after he took out a glowing material from the Archdam's engine.

"As you can all see, I am holding a piece of the Heart in my hands. Earlier this afternoon, Braer and I traveled from Veins carrying Unrefined Hetarium as fuel. But after the engine overload that we experienced during the previous chase, our power source changed into THIS. If everyone is doubtful of Eilmahn's statement, then I'm going to back him up with physical evidence."

Vhie took out a similar substance from her coat and showed it to everyone. After inspection, it appeared that both of them are carrying pieces of the Heart. Vhie explained that her piece is from her and Eilmahn's earlier spying missions, and delivered this morning by the Ether Brake.

Braer coughed to signal the group to listen to him.

"You might all be wondering. What is the Heart's role in these events right? Then let me tell you a story I heard during my travels as a mercenary. As legend would have it, a Heart piece can power up a weapon by a thousand times, thus making any injuries the weapon inflicts to be virtually irreversible. A single wound from that weapon will immediately kill any target… human or otherwise."

Shahiv patted Braer's shoulder and gave him a scroll that he took out from the Archdam's compartment. Braer scanned the document, and began to speak again after showing it to everyone.

"That weapon is the deadliest weapon known to humanity and the gods. Unlike Promeon-based weapons, Heart-based weapons will literally kill a human instantly. The gods will likely weaken and die afterwards if they were further exposed. That weapon's name is Catastrophe… and supposedly crafted by fusing a "mythical" sword named Bloody Eater along with the "still-missing" Blue and Red Edges of Naght Sieger. One has to power up Bloody Eater with four "unknown energies" and then release Bloody Eater's next form before it can be fused with the Edges."

Althii stood up and borrowed a scroll from the twins. She began to speak after everyone quieted down.

"I believe that all of your revelations had sense… but something is disturbing me. We just heard about the conversion of Hetarium to Heart pieces, as well as an extremely deadly weapon that can annihilate humanity. We all know what Bloody Eater is according to our history books. That "mythical sword" is one of the possessions of Thanatos, the champion of humanity. Are you telling me that Klaus plans to use it?"

**Hugel, 1 hour and 10 Minutes before the Erasure**

Savech and Siria continued to head towards their Division's Headquarters. Earlier, the three apprentices ran away from them after following directions from a glowing sword. The two did not feel any need to follow them, for they believed that it was none of their business. The two decided to head back and rest instead.

Upon entering their quarters, Savech held the cook's hand and apologized for his rowdy manner earlier in the station. Siria shook her head and consoled the young man. There was silence between them for about a minute. Both of them felt too shy to speak up. No one seemed to be around to bother them… no sign of a mission or any feedback from their superiors. They finally had time to be with each other.

Siria signaled Savech to proceed to the kitchen with her. Savech kept teasing her for being to quiet, but stopped after the cook took some ingredients out of the cupboard. Upon inspection, Savech realized that Siria pulled out a jar of honey.

The young man somehow understood what the cook wanted from him. He did know of her preferences, but he rarely gave in to her requests.

Savech opened the honey jar and scooped a handful of honey. The yellow, sticky fluid was trickling in between his fingers. He moved the jar away after the trickling stopped, and looked at Siria, who was now sitting on top of the kitchen counter. Savech smiled at her, and she smiled back.

Siria opened her arms and invited the young man to come closer. The young man responded, and went towards the kitchen counter, taking care not to spill any honey on the floor. Siria waited patiently until the young man was only a foot away from her… and then proceeded to hug the young man with all her might. She felt a cold and sticky fluid travel down her cheeks down to her mouth, and reached for it with her tongue.

The honey spilled all over the cook's clothes, and the young man apologized profusely. Siria shook her head and took Savech's hand that was drenched with honey. She stared at it for a few seconds, and smiled. Savech knew what to expect.

Slowly and eagerly, Siria started licking the remaining honey from Savech's hand. Her tongue traveled across the young man's palm down to the fingertips. She repeatedly licked Savech palm and then focused on sucking his fingers. Siria kept on staring at Savech's eyes as she sucked back and forth… as if begging something from him. She made her way towards the young man's waist, and pinched hard.

Savech could not hold out much longer. The pinch itself was a signal that his lover wanted more. He looked around one more time and listened to the surroundings, making sure no one was there to disturb them. He had locked the doors earlier, making sure that the two of them can have their privacy.

Meanwhile, Lieutenant Flireis, Arnulf, and Audrey finally reached Hugel Station and began to head towards the Division headquarters to rest for the moment. The earlier chase left them exhausted and confused, if not shaken.

Everything was supposedly ok, until Sleipnir alerted Arnulf to focus his sight towards the eastern part of Hugel.

Flireis reacted immediately after seeing a plume of smoke coming from the village's Ore Refinery. She knew that the refinery produces smoke at a regular basis, but something felt off with the situation… for the smoke appeared to be larger, thicker, and darker as usual.

The Lieutenant sprinted off towards the refinery after thanking Arnulf for the ride. Arnulf then decided to head for the village's infirmary and let Audrey stay there for the time being. He knew he had to investigate the situation as well.

Upon reaching the infirmary, Arnulf found out that no one was around. He felt cold sweat flow down his nape. Something was wrong, but he did not even know what it could be. He looked around him… and saw no one. Where was everyone?

Things were still happening near Hugel's Ore Refinery.

After a quick deliberation, Jervy, Christine, and Ivan agreed to give Bloody Eater to the old man claiming to be a representative of the Midnight Messenger. Feeling that they had no responsibility or the capability of killing a god, the apprentices decided to leave the supposed fate of humanity to better hands.

Thick, black, smoke was coming out of Bloody Eater.

Jervy stepped forward and offered the old man the Bloody Eater. Earlier, the said sword managed to save their lives from a being who called itself the Odium of Thanatos. With a little bit of luck and strategy, the three managed to kill the creature… for the sword moved on its own and killed the creature by absorbing it.

The old man eagerly took the Bloody Eater in his hands and thanked the three apprentices for valuing his time and effort.

Finding no reason to doubt the old man's integrity, the apprentices decided to leave.

No sooner, after they turned around that the old man began laughing maniacally. Only then did the apprentices felt that they had done something terribly wrong.

The old man drew out a tome and released three glowing orbs from it, and started to chant. A few seconds later, the orbs fused with the Bloody Eater and it transformed into a weapon comparable to a rapier. The old man smiled and called it "Sylvia".

**Thor's Volcano, 44 Minutes before the Erasure**

Eric gasped for air as he staggered to stand. He had not expected this to happen. Never in his whole life had he made such a failure at such a significant moment.

"Why?" Eric asked himself repeatedly in his mind.

Minutes earlier, he had attempted to warp himself to Payon using his limited knowledge and strength. He knew he had screwed-up when he found himself in the desolate area at the foot of Thor's Volcano.

A certain man said, "If anything can go wrong, it will." Eric was about to realize the truth of that statement.

The Librarian struggled to gain a foothold on one of the crags that littered the foot of the volcano. From his location, he could clearly see the entrance that off-limits to anyone except for certain government officials. For years, the areas surrounding the volcano were fogging with speculation and rumors.

Eric remembers one of the rumors reaching as far as Juno and it supposedly said that one of Naght Seiger's Edges is deep beneath the volcano. Though he felt nothing weird within the vicinity, his instinct was telling him that something was terribly wrong.

His instinct was right.

Eric stared in horror as he saw a familiar figure stepping out of the volcano's blocked entrance. Of all times, why now? What was the figure doing here in the first place? What was he scheming?

The Librarian walked backwards slowly in order not to attract the being's attention. He knew that the consequences would be dire if the figure saw him.

After another step backward, Eric felt a sharp pang in his ribs. The pain was agonizing enough that he could not help but scream for help. Then, he began to realize what he had just done. He was now cursing fate for what was happening to him.

Eric slowly tilted his head up and stared at the setting sun on the horizon. The entire afternoon passed by quickly after he escaped the destruction of Juno Academy, rested in Aldebaran, and finally got accidentally warped to Veins. He could not bear to look at the figure standing at the entrance… for he knew that by doing so, death was the price.

Eric tried hard not to, but somehow… he could not help it.

He was now gasping for more air as his lungs tightened, his ribs squeezing his heart as if they were going to break. Eric was no stranger to pain, but this one did it.

The Librarian's pain slowly turned into horror as he saw the being turn its head towards him and smile sickly.

"My, my… what are you doing here, my "faithful" servant? I knew I told you to run from the destruction of the Academy, but NOT this far…" said the being as it walked slowly towards Eric.

"You… what are you planning?" Eric asked. His knees were getting weaker, and his breathing was getting shallow.

The being smirked at Eric and grabbed him by the hair. Eric felt more pangs coming from his ribs and other joints. The pain was very unbearable. If he did not have enough training, he was sure that he would have been dead earlier. Eric stared at the left blind eye of the being that grabbed him.

He knew the being too well. He knew of it too well that things came down to this.

"You know what, Eric? I could've forgiven you for escaping from Juno… but you just did something that can never be forgiven…," said the being as it stared at the Librarian mockingly.

"I only did what was right… I have no regrets in giving humanity an option." Eric said.

The being frowned at the Librarian and shook its head. It pulled on the Librarian's hair even more, thereby making the man suffer more pain. The being seemed to be enjoying its actions.

"Tell me, Eric… why did you give the Doomsday spell to an ordinary mortal? You do know that by doing so, you have leaked information reserved only to your rank and to that of the gods, right? Explain it clearly to me, Eric… I might forgive you if you manage to convince me…"

"I have no explaining to do to you, Odin… I have already sensed your plans… and I—" Eric said. He stopped midway as Odin gouged out his left eye.

Eric screamed in pain once more, as he felt his eye sockets burst and gush out a puddle of blood that trickled down his cheeks.

"Humanity can never surpass the gods, Eric. I clearly told you that ever since our first meeting… but you… you have forgotten that." Odin said.

"You are no god, Odin… you are but a megalomaniac." Eric said.

"Is that all you have to say?" Odin said. Another second passed, and he summoned his ravens to carry two swords, one red, and one blue… then disappeared.

**?, ?'s Territory 30 Minutes before the Erasure**

Locke confined himself in a gap situated between time and space. When he had nothing to do in his realm, he visited this place always. The gap was the home of a certain warrior that fought for the future of humanity millennia ago.

That very same human race that he defended had forgotten his name.

"It's been a while since I've seen you…" Locke said to an ethereal being whose only visible feature was that of a young man's face. The being's eyes were that of burning brimstone, and his hair that of a starless night.

Locke clearly saw the expressions present in the being's eyes. It was mixture of happiness, regret, longing, as well as hope.

"I see that you call yourself Locke these days…" the being said.

"I am hiding from someone, you see." Locke said.

The being frowned and changed its form to that of a young child. The being bore similar features to that of the previous form.

"Is it Odin? What happened? I thought you and Odin were good friends?" the being asked.

"He felt threatened by my increasing power. He couldn't believe that I will be able to surpass him in the future… so he decided to hunt me down and kill me, before I do anything wrong." Locke said.

"You wouldn't do anything wrong, would you?" the being asked.

"The only thing that I did that he considered wrong was befriending humans." Locke said.

"That's typical of him. Odin is bent on acquiring the power to dominate the nine worlds as quickly as possible… as if being the All Father wasn't enough for him." the being said.

The being then changed its form to that of an old man.

"Why do you keep changing form every time I talk to you? Aren't you satisfied with one form?" Locke asked.

"I change because your thoughts and feelings change as well. I reply with the form mirroring your current feelings. Ever since the day I banished the great demon from Midgard, I lost my sense of humanity as a price…" the being said.

"You became crazy?" Locke immediately asked.

"No, you got it wrong…" the being said after transforming into a young lady.

"There you go again… changing your form. I really wish I could do that to fully hide my pointy ears." Locke said.

"Practice more. Anyway, didn't become insane… because if I did, I wouldn't be able to talk to you like this in the first place." the being said. Locke nodded in agreement. The being did have a point.

"Please tell me what happened." Locke requested.

"Alright… You see, after I managed to kill the great demon's physical form, his spirit lived on and was able to escape the seal that I made. I felt guilty not being able to fully save humanity, for the great demon's spirit lived on, transferring from one human container to another." the being revealed.

"I understand how you feel. Go on…" Locke said.

"The great demon, as humanity back then knew it, called itself Morroc. After ten days and nights of fighting him, I was able to kill him and prevent him from ever returning to Midgard in full power. The spirit of Morroc was contained by one of my friends… he told me that he will rebuild the area where I killed the demon and name it Morroc for humanity to never forget the disaster… as well as the salvation that happened."

"Who was that friend of yours?" Locke asked.

"If memory serves me correctly… his name was Marcus Brifon… after rebuilding Morroc, we lost contact with each other… as I was suffering from the effect of Morroc's defeat. The last thing I heard of him was that he managed to ask Odin the gift of foresight and prolonged mortality." the being said.

"Are you telling me that the current Lord of Morroc is this same Marcus Brifon that you are talking about?" Locke asked in disbelief.

"Yes. If you have noticed, then he is at most, more than a thousand years old… and the other lords know nothing about it. He simply appears and disappears from history… but always presenting as an old man. He leaves to make everyone believe that he is dead. He returns to gain power once again in a newly established society." the being said.

"I have to go now... I'll see you next time, Thanatos." Locke said.

"Come back safely, Loki." the being said.

**Folkvang, Freya's Sanctuary 21 Minutes before the Erasure**

After a brief moment of rest, the Pope of Rachel called upon Freya for guidance. She then chanted a prayer exclusively taught only to every Pope in order to summon the goddess from her realm in Asgard.

The young Pope felt the Temple's walls shrink towards her, but paid no attention to it. All she needed was Freya during this time of uncertainty. She was her last bastion of hope... and her eternal protector.

Being a Pope has its benefits, she thought.

The Pope closed her eyes and waited for a familiar voice to call her. She waited until her senses became numb. The moment she felt her heart flutter, she opened her eyes.

Finding her self in a space void space, the Pope walked towards a throne where a beautiful and elegant woman was sitting, clad in the finest fabrics of the multiverse. The woman smiled at the Pope, and signaled her to come closer.

Beside the woman was another female clad in armor. The Pope recognized her, but could not remember her name. It had been a long time since she last visited this realm.

"What brings you here, Beatrice?" the sitting woman asked the Pope.

Beatrice shivered. Nobody called her by her first name except her sister. Then again, she realized that she was talking to Freya, who knew everything about her… even her constant longing for the outside world.

"Merciful goddess… I have come to ask you for guidance." Beatrice said.

"Please do not hesitate to ask, Beatrice." Freya said.

Beatrice took in a deep breath and sighed. Freya's smile widened. She then motioned the armored woman to leave them for a while so they might be able to talk in private. The woman nodded and left immediately.

"Goddess Freya… I found out that Odin is planning to kill Loki. What should I do? If none of my kind moves to avert this disaster, then there is no point at worshipping a supposedly benevolent god."

"I understand your situation, Beatrice. However, as a goddess, I am not to interfere with human affairs." Freya said.

"But how come Odin does anything that he pleases?" Beatrice asked, being careful not to raise her voice.

Freya stood up and walked towards the Pope. Beatrice was expecting to get punished by her remarks. Saying such a thing while in Asgard was a taboo that meant death for anyone who dared to break it.

Beatrice felt a warm hand caress her head.

"Allow me to help you when the time is right. I know Odin may seem invulnerable, but as his wife, I know one thing that can stop him from meddling with humanity." Freya assured Beatrice.

Freya pointed to her necklace and showed it to the Pope.

"This is Brisingamen, Beatrice. I shall lend it to you to aid you with your crusade. You must fight for what you think is right for the sake of humanity." Freya said.

Beatrice nodded and took the necklace. Freya assured Beatrice that the necklace would automatically vanish and return to her realm once she finished her business in Midgard.

Freya patted Beatrice's head and warped her back to Midgard. Beatrice specifically wished Freya to warp her to a certain temple located in the east sea surrounding Hugel.

After Beatrice left Folkvang, Freya called upon the armored woman that she dismissed earlier.

"Prepare my warriors." Freya ordered.

"I understand, your highness… but…" the woman stammered.

"What is it, my peerless warrior?" Freya asked.

"I have a bad feeling about this…" the woman answered.

"There is no place for feelings in a battlefield. Is that clear?" Freya said.

"I understand." the woman said.

"I sense your doubt, Randgris." Freya said.

Silence enveloped the hall were the two women were. Freya knew she had to act subtly, in order not to attract Odin's attention. All that she needed now was a pawn in order to make a gambit.

"If Odin ever commands you to fight, I expect you to weigh your decision, Randgris." Freya said.


	11. Chapter 10

**Affect Circumplex**

Chapter 10: Freedom is an Illusion

**Hugel Ore Refinery, 42 Minutes before the Erasure**

Jervy, Ivan and Christine watched in horror as the old man whom they handed Bloody Eater with began charging a rapier-like weapon. For the first time in their lives, the three apprentices felt a mixture of regret and fear, as well as the feeling of imminent annihilation. Having rejected an impossible task to kill a god, the three only wanted to create a better future by simply giving in to a far more capable force.

"Seriously, guys… WHAT DID WE JUST DO?" Jervy asked his two friends, who were standing still in shock at the speed of the events that happened right in front of them. Being attacked by a monster was enough, but finding a crazy old man who appears to be wielding a destructive weapon was far worse.

"I thank the three of you for giving this old man a chance to experience this power. Though I really want to kill you all immediately, I'm having second thoughts in doing so… for without you, I couldn't have achieved THIS." the old man said as he raised the weapon into the air.

"Who are you?" Ivan shouted to the old man. Christine simply patted Ivan's shoulder to stop him from doing anything dangerous, knowing his tendencies.

The old man didn't answer. He simply gave a cold stare as a response.

"It's too late, Ivan. Look at that blade for one second. What do you see?" Christine said. She somehow managed to stop Ivan from charging the old man.

"It's not what I think it is, right? Sir Eric described that weapon during one of his lectures…" Jervy said.

"You've got to be kidding me… that can't be…" Ivan murmured under his breath. He kept on wishing that he could at least do something to stop what was happening in front of them right now, but he couldn't find any possible weaknesses of the enemy.

"Whoever that old man is… he is currently holding a weapon capable of injuring a god. That weapon is none other than Sylvia." Christine said.

"Does that mean that we lost already?" Ivan asked.

Jervy shook his head and turned back to face his friends. He stared calmly at them, and smiled. Instead of smiling back however, Ivan and Christine felt terror with Jervy's gesture. They had never seen him like this before.

"No… don't do it, Jervy." Christine pleaded.

Jervy then turned away and dashed to the old man who was still charging Sylvia.

Ivan tried to grab Jervy's coat in order to stop him from doing such a reckless act. Being brave and being suicidal were two entirely different things. He knew that Jervy only wanted to help them, but if he wanted to do so, he could've thought of something much better, something that will not cost him his very own life.

Christine tried her best to stop her friend from dashing towards his doom. She knew that if he succeeds in his plan, then their lives will be saved in exchange of his. Helping others and sacrificing oneself are two entirely different things. She knew that Jervy couldn't bear to see Ivan and she suffer a fate worse than death, so he'd rather do it himself. But if he really wanted to do so, he could've done something simpler, something that will save all of them in the end.

Jervy continued to dash towards the enemy, casting his ultimate spell on the way. He kept on thinking of his decisions, his friends, and the fate of humanity that they simply just threw away without much of a thought. He wasn't being brave, he wasn't being suicidal, and he wasn't helping anyone at all. The only thing he understood is that there was nothing that could stop him from getting rid of the enemy in order to redeem himself for the stupid decision he made.

Jervy stared straight at the eyes of the old man who had obviously tricked them. Finding no reaction, he kept on dashing forward, charging his spell faster. He knows that if his spell succeeds, he will be able to face his friends with dignity.

A blinding flash filled the area where Jervy attempted to press on, and in an instant, a woman came from the opposite direction and grabbed the dashing apprentice by the waist, and continued to run… grabbing the two other apprentices on the other side.

The apprentices shock turned into calmness as they realized who the woman was. They had been looking for her earlier, but failed to do so. If it weren't for her, Jervy could've died from that dash he made.

The woman simply smiled to the three apprentices, and told them not to worry. Taking off her coat that indicated her position as Lieutenant, she then covered the three and continued to run away from the refinery.

The old man simply smirked at the events happening in front of him. Sylvia was about to be unleashed for the whole world to see, and it was only a matter of time before his plans came into fruition.

He kept on charging the weapon, buying enough time for the other events to unravel. He had already seen this happening.

The old man felt even happier as he noticed two huge ravens flying side by side and coming towards him. He eyed on their claws, looking at the slender metallic materials they were carrying, one red and one blue. For millennia, the said materials had been hidden from humanity due to their immense power. But now, he had both of them.

**Hugel Station, 33 Minutes before the Erasure**

The crew consisting of Engineers, Sages, and Mercenaries arrived in a terrific fashion as a humongous Archdam skidded through the tracks of Hugel Station and crashed to the nearest ticket booth.

Ignoring the damage they had caused, some of the crew immediately stepped out of the Archdam and proceeded to opposite directions. Having solved a few pieces of the puzzling events that had happened earlier, the crew sought to answer a few remaining questions that somehow managed to evade them the harder they try to dig deeper.

Althii, acting as the crew's leader, gave specific orders to the twins Nelsvee and Nellyne to regroup with Savech and Siria back in the Engineering Facility. While remaining skeptical about Vhie and Eilmahn's claims, she had somewhat gained a certain degree of respect for the two "fugitives" for making it this far without a single hint of retaliation from them.

Shahiv and Braer, shaken from the earlier crash, kept on apologizing to the authorities for the damage their Archdam had caused, but ignored them the moment they saw a fast moving shadow across the Station's entrance.

Every member of the crew immediately recognized who it was, for they had always seen him everywhere.

"We'll follow him. Vhie, Eilmahn… assist me. I have a lot of questions to ask him." Althii said before running after the shadow.

The group went to their way, leaving only Shahiv and Braer in the Station to fix any damages in the Archdam. Questions raced through their minds.

"Please stop! We need to talk with you!" Althii shouted on top of her lungs in order to get the shadow's attention.

The shadow sped faster, obviously ignoring the call.

"Something must be wrong then, Althii." Vhie said.

Eilmahn consoled the female sage and told her not to worry. He patted the sage's head and assured her that things will be dealt with properly.

"I really don't get it, Vhie. He never ignored us before… but judging by his speed earlier, he really seemed troubled and confused. What could make the Ether Brake that uneasy?" Althii said.

"I think our answer is right above us." Eilmahn said while pointing to a glowing orb resting near the Ore Refinery."

"Why don't we just go there and investigate?" Shahiv suggested.

Braer then maneuvered the Archdam and told the remaining crew members that the machine is good to go.

"It feels weird. I left Hugel this afternoon and this is what I get after I come back? You've got to be kidding me." Althii murmured.

"We have no other choice. If our conclusion earlier is correct, then Midgard will likely disappear in a blink of an eye!" Vhie said while still clinging to Eilmahn for support.

The group decided to head towards the glowing orb hovering near the Ore Refinery. Everyone wanted answers, and this was their only chance to find out what truly was happening. If something was wrong with the world, then they had no choice but to correct it.

No sooner had the group reached the area surrounding the Ore Refinery; an invisible barrier prevented them from entering the area. On the other side of the barrier was the Ether Brake, seemingly unaffected and unhindered by the blockade.

Althii tried to break through the barrier, but couldn't. The rest of the crew tried as well, but their efforts were in vain. All hope seemed lost for they couldn't be able to get the answers that they wanted. To make matters worse, two giant ravens emerged from the barrier and swooped down towards the group.

"What are Odin's ravens doing here? Are they preventing us from choosing which path we should take?" Eilmahn gasped in horror.

"Oh, so that's how it is…" Althii said. She had finally realized that Eilmahn and Vhie's claims were correct.

"No human shall pass beyond this point." the ravens said in unison.

"Yeah, as if we'll listen to a couple of talking birds…" Braer said. Shahiv then broke the Archdam limiter and pressed on a switch.

In a blinding flash, the mercenaries maneuvered the Archdam with incredible speed, bypassing the ravens and breaking through the barrier.

Shahiv and Braer looked back, and saw the other crew members cheering for their outstanding feat. After getting assurance from the group, the duo pressed forward to look for the Ether Brake, who was still moving across Hugel.

"You leave us with no choice, then…" Vhie told the ravens as she and the rest of the group prepared for an all-out assault.

**Hugel Port, 26 Minutes before the Erasure**

Snaking his way through the port, Arnulf kept his sights on for a certain butler who managed to make his lover cry in agony. He had known Locke for a long time, but never in his entire life did he imagine that he will be capable of putting people in danger.

When someone needs your help, don't you exert effort to help them with all you have? When someone is suffering, isn't it typical for a human to help another?

Then the thought crossed Arnulf's mind.

What if Locke wasn't human at all?

Arnulf gripped his bicycle's handles harder and made a sharp turn. The port was had a terrible terrain and even Sleipnir was having problems.

Earlier, he had managed to save Lieutenant Flireis from harm. But knowing the events that transpired that day, anything could happen. There were a lot of possibilities at every twist and turn in the convoluted threads that were woven by the Norns.

Arnulf had no idea what was going on, honestly. There were a lot of questions in his mind that needed answers straight from Locke himself.

After making another turn, the Ether Brake made his way at the end of the port. Standing at the coastline was the person he was looking for all this time. Arnulf called out to him, demanding answers… but was blatantly ignored.

He had to do something that will catch his attention.

At the same time, Locke was simply staring into the expanse of the sea, ignoring anything or anyone around him. He stood still, as if focusing on something invisible.

Humans often misunderstood him. He meant them no harm but somehow, his actions almost always made their lives miserable. Nobody wanted to believe in him anymore… for he knew that humans valued trust above all else.

At least there was one lady who believed in him, no matter what.

Or did he lose her as well?

Locke heaved a sigh, and continued to stare at the expanse of the sea. The fog that covered it was slowly dissipating… clear enough for him to see the outline of an island at the horizon.

He had fond memories of the place but somehow, living in Midgard with humans was way better than engaging on the petty affairs of the gods.

Meanwhile, Shahiv and Braer kept on searching for the Ether Brake, and soon found themselves at the port. From their location, they could clearly see and hear the Ether Brake calling out to a butler who was standing near the coastline.

Finding the butler somewhat familiar, the two decided to press forward and question the Ether Brake instead.

Everything looked normal, until the two saw the Ether Brake release a dark aura from his bicycle. To make matters worse, the Ether Brake didn't seem to hear their voices as they called out to him.

Before the mercenaries could react, the Ether Brake released a terrible force that shook the port, and jumped straight towards the butler on the other side of the port.

Shahiv and Braer had enough of the weird things that were happening during the entire course of the day. If they interfere, they might be able to untangle the threads of fate that managed to involve the two of them in this predicament.

Before they could reach the butler's location, the mercenaries could clearly see the outline of a gigantic horse with eighth legs being patted on the head by the butler.

Were they hallucinating?

Locke stared at the delivery boy who was sprawled on the shoreline. He called out to him, and asked him to answer his questions.

Arnulf felt insulted, stating that he should be the one asking questions. On the back of his mind, he was still wondering why Sleipnir disobeyed him after ordering an all out attack on the butler.

It only made sense after Locke told him that Sleipnir is one of his children.

Arnulf tried to stand up, but failed. He felt terribly useless without Sleipnir's help. He kept on telling Locke about Audrey, and how she almost died from her trip to Rachel.

Locke nodded at Sleipnir. After a few seconds, the eight-legged horse transformed into a shapeless form and returned once more to the delivery boy's bicycle. Locke then called out to the two mercenaries who had just arrived at their location, telling them to come closer.

Locke finally found peace after hearing that his mistress was safe from harm.

The butler then walked towards the mercenaries and told them to do him a favor. After hearing his terms and conditions, the mercenaries nodded and gave first aid to the delivery boy, who was still lying on the beachhead.

**Odin's Temple, 20 Minutes before the Erasure**

Ignoring the strange lights near the coast of Hugel, Beatrice decided to finish her work as fast as she could inside the ruined temple located on the highest peak of the island. Beatrice vividly remembered the history of the island, as it was clearly written in one of the many books of the Temple of Rachel.

For centuries, the island was home to the most devout worshippers of Odin. Everyday the god's loyal servants gave offerings and prayers… asking for help and guidance in this mortal plane.

But their prayers never reached Odin. Finding little sense in helping out humans, he decided to simply kill everyone in the island, stating that everyone was too noisy. However, he never wanted to get his hands dirty. Acting in his behalf was his finest soldier, Randgris.

Randgris appeared before the multitude that gathered in the temple grounds and requested everyone to stop their groveling.

Offended by the words of the Valkyrie, the worshippers decided to band against her and force her out of the island. Randgris gave them one final warning, but it fell to deaf ears… leaving her no choice but to silence everyone breathing.

The Valkyrie simply did what she was ordered to, and didn't doubt at the motives of her superior. Killing humans was sometimes a necessary measure.

Making sure that no one was able to survive, Randgris then unleashed a force strong enough to make the temple crumble into pieces.

Beatrice knew that she had met the very same Randgris during her brief visit in Folkvang. She wanted to ask her a few questions, but was unable to do so, given the circumstances.

She held Brisingamen tenderly in her hands, asking the godly artifact to help her to finish what needs to be done.

Beatrice closed her eyes and chanted a prayer using the Sacred Tongue. Unknown energies then flowed out from Brisingamen and gathered at the marble floor of the dilapidated temple, forming a huge, circular seal filled with Sacred Lettering.

Beatrice kept on chanting until the seal was complete, making sure that she didn't miss anything. A single mistake will likely cost the fate of humanity.

Finding her worked finished, the Pope decided to leave the temple at once. There were a lot of things to be done. She hurriedly went out of the dilapidated temple and searched for a suitable area to create a gravitational hex.

The moment she stepped outside however, a familiar face greeted her.

Beatrice immediately recognized the woman standing at the edge of the island. The woman appeared to be staring into the fog that enveloped the sea. Beatrice didn't dare to call out to her, but the woman somehow sensed the Pope's presence, and turned around. Beatrice never saw such cold and deep eyes in her entire life. She had met terrible people during her stay at the temple, but the woman's eyes were an extreme exception.

She wasn't expressing sadness. She was expressing remorse.

The woman didn't seem to find the Pope's presence disturbing. She decided to come closer to her, as if wanting to have a little conversation.

Randgris held out her hand, signaling the frail lady to come closer.

Finding the Pope frozen in her location, Randgris decided to approach her instead. Most humans were afraid to interact with her, given her nature as a Valkyrie.

Randgris stared straight at the Pope's eyes. She had seen eyes filled with grief, anger, despair, and happiness ever since she began fighting for Odin She had seen a lot of humans before, but something felt different about the young girl's eyes.

She wasn't expressing fear. She was expressing regret.

"Do you know what choice is?" Randgris asked the Pope.

"Choices are made based on rational thinking and the proper weighing of emotions." Beatrice answered.

"What is the purpose of having choices when the results have already been tampered with?"

"The illusion of freedom is so grand; humanity has been blinded since their conception."

Randgris wanted to keep their conversation a little longer, but she saw someone familiar standing behind the young girl. She wasn't able to make out the features of the being, for it was dark and misty.

Misty.

The misty being raised its arms and revealed its razor-sharp fingernails. It moved quickly, making sure that its strike will not miss the girl's neck.

Before Beatrice could react, she saw blood trickling from Randgris' abdomen.

**Payon Public Square, 6 Minutes before the Erasure**

Melissa had been sitting in front of a young man for more than thirty minutes. She had to remain still, in order the man to finish his work with beauty and precision.

"How much longer will it take? My neck is getting stiff, Sei."

The young man didn't seem to be concerned with the lady's condition. His hands were moving briskly across a rectangular piece of wood covered with a thin layer of parchment. He held in his hand an easel and a brush specifically designed for his job.

"You can move now, Melissa. The painting is finished."

Melissa patted her lap and stood up from her position. Sei offered the canvas for her to view. He always wanted to see the young lady smile. He had met her a few months ago when she had been transferred near the castle by a certain Lord from Morroc.

He couldn't forget the sublime beauty he saw the moment he laid his eyes on her.

"Sei… what are you doing? You're spacing out again."

Sei didn't respond. He was busy staring at the lovely features of the lady he had just painted.

"Nothing really beats the original…" Sei whispered to himself.

Melissa shoved Sei's shoulder and slapped him on the cheek. Feeling the pain course through his consciousness, Sei immediately stood up and took his materials.

"Where are you going?"

"…Back to my sanctuary. I need to… learn better techniques."

Melissa hesitated for a moment. She wanted to be sure that Sei wasn't angry at her. She tugged the painter's coat hard, making sure he will stop and turn around.

"Why are you pushing yourself so hard? Nobody told you to torture yourself."

"You're asking me why? Nobody expects anything from me, so this is the best that I can do. I hate art, but this is the only thing I know to execute… and besides…"

"And besides… what?"

"I need to learn to paint better… so that I can create the perfect painting that will showcase your beauty."

Melissa loosened her grip on the painter's coat. Somehow, his words stung her.

Sei turned away and headed for the castle, but he was abruptly stopped by a man who he bumped into by accident. His instruments fell on the ground, much to his disdain. He began picking his brushes, and underneath the mess, he found Tarot Cards which the other man seemed to be picking up.

"Do you believe in Tarot Cards?" the man asked Sei. The painter inspected the man's outfit carefully. He was sure he had seen the man's uniform somewhere.

"By any chance, are you a Stalker from Morroc?" Sei inquired.

The man nodded, and simply stared at the painter. Sei's only comment was that the man had long, red hair… which was extremely unheard of in this region of Midgard. He was about to ask again, when a woman dressed in a similar uniform tapped the Stalker's shoulder and offered him a deck of Tarot Cards.

"Oh, I almost forgot. We're practicing some fortune-telling, so why not try it out? Just take out a card, and I'll interpret it for you." the Stalker said.

Melissa tugged Sei's coat and asked him what is going on. After he explained the situation, the female stalker offered her another deck to randomly choose a card.

"It reads… the Hanged Man. What does it mean?" Sei asked.

The male Stalker took the card from the painter and examined it carefully. He stared at the painter and the lady accompanying him and asked if they were lovers. Both of them denied.

"That's good. You see, this card should mean that your love for her… if any, will never be. Just my interpretations though… so don't take it seriously." the male Stalker said.

Melissa decided to look at her card and revealed that she drew out Temperance.

The female Stalker took the card and inspected it. She stared at the female carefully and asked if she had any relative who isn't staying with her right now.

"Umm… my father is a Grim Librarian in Juno…I haven't seen him yet after Lord Marcus instructed my mother and I to relocate here…" Melissa said.

"Well, your father should be alright… besides, what can happen? This card should mean that you'll undergo a severe trial sometime in the future… but looking at you right now, I know you can handle one when it happens." the female Stalker said.

Before Sei and Melissa could react, to the predictions, the two Stalkers were nowhere to be found. Sei continued to head towards the castle, with Melissa walking behind him.


	12. Chapter 11

**Affect Circumplex**

Chapter 11: Validity and Reliability

**Hugel, 20 Minutes before the Erasure**

A bluish hue filled the area where a certain old man continued casting a binding spell. Earlier, he had managed to collect three souls connected to the Memory of Thanatos, and finally gained the last requirement to unleash Bloody Eater's second form –Sylvia– by simply requesting a small group of apprentices to hand the weapon over. He couldn't help but chuckle at the events that his god had instigated over the entire day.

"Isn't it nice, Marcus? You have once again proved yourself worthy of Odin's favor." the old man said to himself.

Marcus gazed upward and marveled at the blue rapier-like weapon that motionlessly hovered in between two thin blades. Sylvia was just supposed to be an ordinary sword, until a certain sage from Juperos reformed it and fused it with a piece of Ymir's Heart. Now, it was about to be transformed once again, making it more powerful than it already was.

"I should go ahead and finish this spell. My arms are getting stiff."

Meanwhile, somewhere near the village's port, a young man clad in a butler's uniform is busy making the final preparations for his journey. After somewhat reconciling with a delivery boy and asking assistance from two mercenaries, the young man knew he was ready. Only one thing was left out before he could start moving to end a certain god's madness.

"You're asking me to disassemble my Archdam? For what reason should I do that, Locke?" Shahiv asked.

"Simply take the Heart piece out of the engine and I shall transfigure the alloy of your Archdam to forge a durable armor."

The mercenaries looked at each other, apparently baffled by the butler's request. They hesitated for a moment, but complied at the behest of the Ether Brake. Shahiv and Braer took out the Heart piece as fast as they could, and followed the butler's instructions on how to handle the material.

"Everything's set, Locke. What are you going to do now?" Braer inquired further.

"Step back and close your eyes. The process might blind you."

Arnulf and the mercenaries didn't hesitate at the order. Seeing that Locke touched the radioactive material with his bare hands was more than enough proof that he was serious… and entirely not of this world.

"I hope Audrey will be able to forgive you after this." Arnulf said.

At the same time, three individuals were at the verge of defeat by two large ravens. They continued to struggle in order to break through the barrier that the creatures erected, but to no avail. One of them however, had a plan. She took out a shining material out of her coat and focused her energies on it.

"What are you doing, Vhie? We still can't control the Heart piece!" Eilmahn protested.

Althii could only wonder how powerful the material was after hearing all the stories earlier during the day. She didn't know how to handle such kind of materials, but nonetheless, she knew that her help was needed. Slowly, she went over where the two sages were. She simply wanted to show some genuine concern once in a while.

However, the three had been too preoccupied with the Heart. They barely noticed that one of the ravens had landed in front of them and knocked them over, taking the Heart piece immediately after the collision. Without another word, the ravens left and headed eastward.

Marcus once again saw the ravens of Odin fly overhead. Interpreting it as a signal to start the plan, he clasped his hands and chanted the final verse in order to fuse Sylvia with the Twin Edges.

"You who have suffered shall suffer more. Come forth, Catastrophe… and show to the world that there is no such thing as mercy."

The bluish hue immediately dissipated from where Marcus stood. In his hand, he now held a thin, serrated blade emitting a grey aura. Marcus decided to leave, but was stopped after Catastrophe's aura gripped his arm and pointed it towards the port's direction.

"So the poor, little guy managed to forge Thor's Armor in this mortal plane? Grey would be envious of such a feat… I wonder if he's done with his part of the mission"

The ravens sped faster eastward and flew over the docks where Locke and the rest simply observed them. Locke noticed that one of the ravens was carrying a shining material that he immediately recognized.

"The time has almost come. I want to thank all of you for helping me. Without your help, I wouldn't be able to make it this far." Locke said.

"I already heard that line." Arnulf snapped back.

The two smiled at each other and bid their farewells. The mercenaries hopped on the delivery boy's enchanted bicycle, and watched Locke board a wooden boat towards the island located to the east of Hugel.

**Odin's Temple, 13 Minutes before the Erasure**

Randgris felt excruciating pain surge through her body at the very moment that the misty being pulled out its sharp fingernails out of her bleeding abdomen. She did not waver at the thought of dying; knowing that being a Valkyrie automatically gave her more immunity to death. She stared at the being's smug expression, and then turned at the frail maiden behind her. Somehow, the Pope wasn't harmed in any way.

"Run."

Beatrice didn't hesitate to leave immediately. Knowing Odin's tendencies, he could've simply brushed off the Valkyrie away and proceeded to kill her. Something felt off, but she couldn't discern what it was. She hastened her footsteps. Faster and faster, along the island's craggy shoreline, the Pope didn't look back at the scene she had left.

Thoughts of home flooded her mind. The citizens of Rachel… no, the entire world was in great peril. Only a few humans knew or had little idea what had just transpired over the day. Everyone expected the world to end, but not this early.

"I don't see the reason why you have to stand in my way, Randgris. Are you telling me that you're switching sides?" Odin asked.

After kicking the Valkyrie as an expression of courtesy, Odin turned back and sat on one of the large rocks that littered the island's shore. He continued to stare at the horizon, as if waiting for something to arrive. Below him was a bleeding Valkyrie… no, a woman whom he never gave the freedom to think for herself.

"It sure is fun watching you writhe in pain. Stop acting like a sick animal and stand up. You're far stronger than that."

Randgris struggled to stand. She gripped on the edges of the giant rock that Odin sat upon, and stared at the misty composition of his superior. Why would he do this? What was the point of messing up the flow of human interactions?

Finding enough leverage, Randgris stood up firmly and called out to Odin. The god however, didn't seem to be interested with anything she had to say. His eyes were focused on the horizon, ignoring all possible interference from disturbing him.

"What are you waiting for, my Lord?" Randgris inquired.

Odin turned his head and stared at the Valkyrie below him. After a few seconds, he turned back to look at the horizon again without mentioning a word. Feeling insulted, Randgris took a step forward as a sign of aggression. Before she could start to charge however, she caught a glimpse of a shining object coming towards their direction.

Odin outstretched his arms and smiled as the Valkyrie stood still in wonder. Randgris never saw her superior smile like this way before.

Meanwhile, Beatrice was making her way out of the island when she noticed the glowing orb coming towards the shoreline. She couldn't make out what the object was, and tried her best to remember what it could possibly be.

As the orb came nearer, the Pope was finally able to discern the object in question. She shivered after realizing that the material could only be a fragment of Ymir's Heart. As if finding a piece of the Heart was enough, Beatrice worried even more at the sight of the ravens carrying the Heart piece. What was Odin really planning to do?

"Beautiful isn't it, Randgris?" the god asked.

Odin's expression was indescribable. From Randgris' viewpoint, it was so sickly that no human could possibly stand it.

The ravens soon reached the shore and dropped the Heart piece in Odin's hands. The god played with the material as if it was just a normal ball. His excitement grew even more after the ravens informed him of the situation in the little village beyond the horizon. He couldn't wait any longer.

"Mistress Freya will never approve this." Randgris asserted.

Odin jumped down from the pedestal and landed in front of the Valkyrie. Randgris raised her guard and waited for any incoming attack.

"I don't need any approval from the other gods. I am the best there is, and it is I who shall dictate on all of you. Do you understand that?" Odin said.

"I have no intention of disobeying your orders, but don't you think you've gone too far?" Randgris said.

"You don't? Your actions are different from your words…"

"Just give out an order. I will make sure not to disappoint you."

"Kill Loki for me, will you? I hate getting my hands dirty."

"But that's impossible considering my status. I won't even be able to lay a finger against him. How do you expect me to accomplish that?"

"Worry not, Randgris. I have prepared for this situation long before you were even conceived in my mind."

"You don't mean…"

"I have prepared the weapon that you'll need."

**Veins Shoreline, 10 Minutes before the Erasure**

Drops of blood littered the sandy shoreline of Veins as Eric continued to find help. He had miscalculated the severity of the situation, and failed miserably to defend those he held dear. If that wasn't enough, being blinded by the one he hated most would be the killing stroke he needed to lose his pride and dignity.

"Damn it... I lost my diary… my spells… everything. He shall pay…"

Eric could only feel pity for the corrupt bureaucracy of Juno, especially for the individuals who pushed him to the brink of self-destruction.

"It's not fair. After all the hard work I have done for them… someone must answer for what happened to me. Some one must right the wrongs of the world…"

The former Grim Librarian gazed on the horizon with his only remaining eye and tried to find anyone who could possibly help him. Even a desert wolf will do if he managed to find no one. He just wanted to survive a little longer. Longer enough to avenge himself and redeem his dignity.

Feeling famished, Eric now looked for food. He didn't get the chance to eat anything during his brief stay in Aldebaran, and didn't feel the urge to do so. He turned at every possible location where he could find a little insect to chew, but to no avail. He only saw the towering plateaus near the southern shoreline.

Eric closed his eyes in resignation, and simply waited to die naturally.

Located above one of the plateaus however, where three men clad in Stalker uniforms who have been busily training away from the eyes of the Guild. They sought to perfect techniques that can only be learned by the best among their ranks. They have been in this location for at least a year, and have grown acclimatized with the area.

"I think we should rest for now, guys… if Red was here, he could've scolded us for overworking ourselves." said a Stalker who went by the alias of Athet.

"Come to think of it, all that training today really made me hungry. If only our little Mhart here could find a Desert Wolf and butcher it for the time being…"

"Endzeit, I came here to train, not to hunt food for both of you."

The three continued to bicker with each other until they decided to settle near the plateau's edge. A cold breeze brushed against their bodies, enough to make their weary hearts and minds feel at ease for a little while. All their worries slowly faded into obscurity as they closed their eyes to take in the next incoming breeze.

However, they were disturbed by a flock of crows that rushed towards the shoreline. The noises not only irritated the three, but gave them the idea of what to cook.

"So, would you guys mind having Fried Crow Intestines for tonight? Those birds down there should be enough for us for the next week or so." Mhart said.

"I thought you came here to train…" Endzeit remarked.

As the two continued their small talk, Athet noticed something being surrounded by the crows near the shoreline. He couldn't make out what it was, but for a flock of crows to swarm like that, there had to be a pile of meat lying down there.

Upon further inspection, Athet called the attention of the two Stalkers and ordered them to carry their weapons with them.

"We're going down there. Hurry up."

The three Stalkers jumped from the plateau's edge and used their daggers as support. They jumped at even intervals, bashing their blades against the rough wall to stop their fall. Eventually they reached the bottom and rushed towards the gathering flock of crows, which have increased to more than twice their earlier number.

Athet dashed as fast as he could to get rid of the crows. He slashed left and right, leaving a bloody trail behind him. Enzeit and Mhart remained behind and picked up the dead crows, stuffing them inside a small bag made of goatskin.

The ruckus was enough for the former Librarian to wake himself up from a brief sleep. At first, he thought what he was seeing were warriors clad in the finest armor, and thought that he might have reached Valhalla. He blinked, and discerned the image of three Stalkers standing beside him.

"What else could you want from a dying man?" Eric asked weakly.

"Watch your tongue. Even "evil" guys like us have standards." Athet snapped.

Mhart was the first to point out to the others that the man was severely bleeding. He found that the man's left eye had been brutally gouged out, and almost puked at the thought of someone being skinned alive. He asked Endzeit and Athet for assistance in order to help the man.

"The nearest infirmary is located in Veins. We should take him there immediately. Hey, would you mind telling us who you are? The personnel might question us when we get there…" Endzeit said.

"My name is Eric, and…there's no need for me to go to an infirmary. Take me to Payon, now… please. Also… my diary, it was…" Eric replied.

Finding the request absurd, Athet hit the Librarian squarely on the head, rendering the man unconscious. He then ordered the others to proceed to Veins with him.

**Thanatos Tower 13****th**** Floor, 4 Minutes before the Erasure**

Grey Emyll Foxx gazed at the clouds above and below him as he stood at one of the platforms on the highest floor of Thanatos Tower. Having discovered that the place was totally deserted a few years ago, he decided to make one of its floors his personal hideout, secluding himself from any contact from the outside world.

Visitors were severely rare, and only a single person could possibly know where he was at any given moment. That man did come today, but didn't get the chance to talk much with him. It didn't matter. Grey already felt what was coming down.

"You always knew that I'm bored up here, right? Why don't you just give me something worthwhile to do while you're busy in breaking the Seal on the top floor?"

Grey was totally bored. After hearing the old man's request, he decided to wait for him to leave so he could work in peace. He was really irritated when the old man bragged at the three Fragments of Thanatos, finding him way too noisy. Then again, he just waited for the man to leave the place.

"You want me to open a distorted dimension so you can have fun?"

Grey couldn't forget the old man's expression. He knew what the man was planning, but this was way too early. Sure, there were a lot of dimensional holes scattered across Midgard, but most of them are small and close after a few years or so. The existence of such anomalies in between the dimensions baffled even the gods themselves, which they didn't plan to build at all.

"You're not planning a vacation or anything, right? Morroc isn't even resurrected yet. If I open up a large hole, I can simply go there and explore the eight other worlds as payment."

The eight other worlds were separated from Midgard in time and space. The presence of dimension holes also gave existence to "Hoppers" who travel across the nine worlds at will. They are rare, however. Grey managed to meet only one during one of his journeys in Amatsu.

Grey fully agreed to the plan for one reason.

According to the accumulated research well hidden in the vast libraries inside the Tower, there exist dimensions in between the nine worlds, and the power of the gods never reaches those areas.

"Maybe this time, I'll find one that will suit me. I need my rest."

Grey stared coldly at the clouds once again. The First Seal of Thanatos had been broken by Marcus earlier, so all that's left was to break the second and weaker one. With a single stroke, Grey broke the seal. A dark portal appeared immediately in its place.

**Folkvang, 1 Minute before the Erasure**

Finding Odin's actions extremely childish, Freya decided to stand up from her throne and look for her husband. She parted the clouds below her, and focused her sights on Midgard. The other worlds looked extremely fine from her perspective. She could only wish that her husband could be a little more considerate with the beings that they created, and not interfere with them just for the sake of passing the time.

"You're willing to endanger other people just to feed your boredom?"

Freya scanned the land and continued to look for Odin. What she saw only made her frown.

"You went this far? How could you…"

The goddess wasn't able to hold her temper any longer. She grabbed the nearest object she could find and threw it at the void. To her surprise, the object didn't go far, and came back as if there was something blocking its way. Freya soon realized that his husband had set up a barrier so none of the other gods can interfere with his plans.

She tried to break the barrier, but to no avail.

Freya could clearly see the people below, going about their everyday lives, unaware of the incoming danger. If left unchecked, their annihilation could come shortly after. The end was too early to say the least.

She panned to the left, and found adventurers about to meet each other. They seemed to be in hurry, and looking for more details about several unexplained incidents.

On the other side she found a boy driving a bicycle as fast as he could, together with two other men. They too, seemed to be looking for someone.

Freya focused on one of the islands and found Beatrice struggling to pull up some planks that were washed ashore in order to build a raft. She couldn't help her, even if she wanted to.

A quick pan to the right, and Freya found someone whom she rarely talked with in Asgard. Loki.

"He's going to kill you… and I couldn't be there to protect you. I couldn't do anything. Please forgive me."

She turned away, and focused on another site. There she found Randgris and Odin still talking to each other.

"Finally…"

**Mt. Mjolnir Base, 1 Minute before the Erasure**

After passing the tight security of the military outpost located in Aldebaran, Princess Shi Yin and her half-brother decided to take a stroll at the foot of the Mjolnir mountain range. They were currently on vacation… away from their busy kingdom in Payon. It really didn't hurt to have some fresh air once in a while.

"This is seriously boring, Kim. You should have at least allowed Sei to come with us! You left him alone back there!"

"Bah. Of all people I should consider taking along, why would you choose that painter? What are you, some kind of slut for him?"

The occasional sarcastic and demeaning remarks didn't matter to Shi Yin anymore. She had grown used to the treatment of her half-brother over the years she had lived in the castle. Kim Yin's badmouthing simply passed through her ear to the next.

On the other hand, her only qualm was that Kim didn't even consult her about the vacation. He didn't even invite Sei, the royal painter even if she begged him to. Heaven knows how much Kim hates the guy, even though he has the painter's collection hanging in the castle's spacious corridors.

"Stop spacing out. You're fantasizing about him again aren't you? We're supposed to enjoy each other's company and yet you have the nerve to jerk off, think about him, and climax anytime you want when I'm still here?"

"If you want me to pay attention, then at least consider in listening to my requests once in a while."

Disgusted by her half-sister's reaction, Kim deliberately picked up a rock and threw it towards Shi's direction. The princess dodged the projectile effortlessly, and regained her composure immediately after.

"That wasn't for you, Shi. Look behind you."

Shi slowly turned around and found an unconscious guard sprawled at the bushes. Apparently, the guard had been spying them ever since they left the border of Aldebaran.

"Is he from under Commander Hyatt's battalion? What do you think, Kim?"

"Look closely. He's wearing a different uniform. If he wants to spy on us, he should've tried at least. I don't see any effort in simply following people around and bugging them. It's just like you and Sei…"

"Talk about him like that again, and I'll kill you instantly."

"You would? But before you do… care to check that book he's holding?"

Shi then inspected the unconscious guard's hand and found a small book. The manuscript looked like an ordinary sage's handbook, but for some reason the manuscript wasn't written in any known human language.

"This is Sacred Lettering, brother."

"That's half-brother to you."

Ignoring Kim's remarks, Shi flipped the book's cover and started to look for a name. Whoever left this book, he or she surely was able to understand Sacred Lettering, if not completely… then partially.

Shi flipped another page. Focusing her vision on the upper left corner of the page, she found text written in plain script based from that of Juno. She started reading…

"This is my one and only treasure. Everything that I have learned throughout my life as a Grim Librarian will forever be remembered in these fragile pages. Eric."

The name sounded familiar. Earlier, before she and Kim decided to take a stroll, a High Wizard took in an unconscious sage straight to Commander Hyatt's satellite infirmary. After a little questioning from the High Wizard that attended the sage, the two found out that the man's name was Eric.

"You think this diary is from the same Eric earlier? Any thoughts, Kim?"

"I don't care about some old man's diary…"

Shi flipped another page, and found astonishing illustrations and diagrams. Carefully explained in detail, was the owner's life inside the walls of Juno.

"It sure is a diary… but it also contains vast information that I never knew existed… You should take a look at this, Kim."

"I already told you. I don't care."

"If I tell you what this page means, maybe you'll pay attention."

"Try me."

"This page has four detailed maps of a hidden, underground complex."

"Not interested."

"That place is Juperos."

"You're kidding me! Give me that!"


	13. Chapter 12

**Affect Circumplex**

Chapter 12: Breathing for Tomorrow

**Hugel Port, 46 Minutes before the Erasure**

Fixing her spectacles, the young Lieutenant of the Engineering Facility decided to confront the well-dressed man in front of her. The man in question was wearing a butler's suit, and for hours on end, had been staring at the horizon. Flireis knew what lies ahead of the direction where the butler focused his sights on. Beyond the sea that separated Hugel from the outer territories of Schwartzwelt was an island where people used to worship Odin, but it has been a deserted place over the course of time.

Flireis still vividly remembers the words of the local guards during her brief visit in Einbroch this afternoon. A single butler was able to knock out three gruff men out of a bar. While it seemed impossible, seeing the way Lenard and his gang were totally devastated was more than enough proof. But then again, she can't say bad things about dead people. Lenard and his men were no longer human, long before they even turned into the representatives of Thanatos.

"Who are you, really?" Flireis finally decided to ask.

The Lieutenant's question seemed to have pierced the inhospitable barrier that the butler used to isolate himself from any outside interference, which was solitude. Locke then turned slowly towards the direction of the voice calling out to him, and smiled as if he was worried over nothing. The butler somehow foresaw the events that happened over the course of the day, and decided to finally share some of his knowledge to a chosen few. He knew that he can't keep his identity as a secret forever.

"Lady Audrey knows me as Locke. Everyone… well, almost everyone in Midgard knows me by that name…" the butler said.

Flireis prepared herself for the worst. Anything she will learn from the butler will likely either help her solve the puzzle, or make it even more complicated. She inched a few steps forward, close enough to examine the butler's entire profile. They were the only ones left in the port for some odd reason.

"Everyone is gone. They have disappeared into the void." Locke said.

"We've noticed that as soon as we arrived in Hugel earlier. What happened here? In what degree are you involved in all of this?" Flireis said.

"Since there is only little time left, I guess I have no other choice but to tell you. Odin is moving even as we speak."

"I'm listening. Go ahead. I need all the information that I can use."

"I must warn you, Lieutenant. Not all facts are valid."

The gentle waves that were crashing on the shore began to stop, as if it was calmed by an unknown force. There was no sound to be heard near the port but only the breathing of two individuals, both bound by fate and circumstance.

Locke held Flireis' hands and gripped hard. He knew that the end may not be good at all.

"Sylvia… has been unsealed. I don't know how Odin managed… but…"

"Huh? What are you talking about? Who... no, what is Sylvia?" Flireis asked.

"Look above you. Do you see that glowing sword? That is Sylvia, one of the weapons capable of killing anything… even a god."

"…You're saying it's capable of killing you? Who are you exactly?"

"I am Loki, one of the gods residing in Asgard. The events you have been through this whole day are part of Odin's plans to kill me."

"I thought Asgard was a place where order was always maintained..."

"It's supposed to be like that… but when you have a madman as the head of the heavens, then it's no better than being in Hel's domain."

"Is there any reason why you're being hunted? Is there any way I could help?"

"He wants to stop me from taking in more power. He was afraid that I will best him in battle and destroy everything… and no, you can't do anything. Just run."

"Are you doing anything to stop him? Please tell me you're doing something!"

"That's why I'm here. I'm going to save everyone with all I have. It's pretty simple if you think about it. Let's just hope that nothing goes wrong in the process."

"Why would I believe you? And why would a god like you talk about hope?"

"Because… I'm not doing this for my mistress. I'm doing this for you and Arnulf. Wouldn't that be fun?"

"What do you mean? I am not—"

"I prefer you to be Arnulf's lover instead of my mistress. I hope that's clear."

"But that's not how things should be!"

"Just save those three kids over there. I have to talk to Randgris."

**Losing Momentum – First Phase of the Erasure**

Finding everything to be in place, Odin ordered his informants- Huginn and Muninn – to rest for the meantime. Given the freedom to choose where to go, the ravens practically just sped off without notifying their master of their destination. Their direction however, appeared to be westward… towards an ancient tower that survived the toll of time. The location cannot be more than anything but perfect. It was so near Hugel, that you can overlook the entire village if you managed to climb the highest floor.

Little did the ravens knew that their choice to head for Thanatos Tower will soon prove to be detrimental to the plans of their master, who was now brimming with confidence to finally remove Loki in his path. Even if Huginn and Muninn were given enough senses to observe every event that happened in Midgard at will, they were unable to detect the danger that was slowly creeping its way not only to Hugel, but towards the other end of the Schwartzwelt Republic.

Meanwhile, as Savech and Siria finally decided to return to their duties after taking some time off with each other's company, they were stopped in the Engineering Facility's front door by a familiar face. Bringing with her three youths was a bespectacled woman who was obviously running out of breath. The woman, whom Savech and Siria instantly recognized as their Lieutenant, was about to collapse, but managed to relay a message to the two before leaving into the opposite direction.

"Please take care of these children. I don't know who they are, but I'm sure that they're involved with these events somehow. Run with them as fast as you can. Run anywhere. Run as far as you can from this place… Take the boats and head for Izlude. Don't ask anything. Just run." were the Lieutenant's final message before disappearing amidst the foggy streets of Hugel.

Feeling a sense of responsibility for the events, Savech and Siria awoke the youths whom they both recognized as the apprentices that they met earlier. The youths were cooperative, thankfully… and shared their knowledge of the events. Jervy was the most vocal of the three, and relayed all the information he learned so far. Minutes passed by until the group finally realized that they do need to leave Hugel. Something was going to happen. Something terrible and indescribable, human logic won't be able to explain it.

"The Midnight Messenger gave us a sword named Bloody Eater. Over the course of the day, the sword acted as if it was thinking on its own, and killed a being who called itself a representative of Thanatos. Moments later, we gave up the ownership of the sword, thinking it was for the best, but it turned out to be a trap for us as well. Bloody Eater is but a tool to start the countdown towards the end of the world."

The group now led by Savech rushed towards the port, in a desperate attempt to flee the village. As they expected, they saw not one soul as they passed the supposedly busy streets of Hugel. Lieutenant Flireis was right. Everyone was gone, and they had to leave.

At the same time, in an infirmary somewhere in Veins, a former Grim Librarian finally regained his consciousness after being saved by a group of Stalkers who were out practicing near the shoreline. Finding his surroundings new, the former Librarian searched for a familiar face, and began to plan his escape from the infirmary. He knew that time was running out as well, and the more he wasted of it, the more badly the situation was getting.

Finding no one in sight, Eric decided to use the remaining energy he had to "slide" his way from his location to any point in Midgard – a technique he rarely uses – to find his family immediately. His left eye socket was still making him writhe in pain, but he understood the consequence if he was unable to contact his family in time.

"They're waiting for me… especially Melissa."

Eric focused his energy with all his might, making sure that he won't blunder anymore. Any missing verse in his chant will likely transport him to a different location. He didn't intend to go any place else but Payon.

He closed his remaining eye. Eric hoped to see the great forests of Payon once used up all of his energy and transported himself completely.

When he opened up however, what he saw wasn't the towering pine trees of Payon, but the ruined walls of a Monastery located in a corner of Mjolnir forest… somewhere in Prontera.

"What have I done wrong? Why am I here? No… only one thing can stop me from "sliding" to my desired location… and that's… no… it can't be…"

As he was about to scream in despair, Eric heard a ruckus from within the walls of the Monastery. Shouting from the top of his lungs, he asked for help. His pleas however, were drowned by an even more deafening roar of a man who suddenly broke through from the other side of the wall. It appeared that the man was fighting someone, as Eric immediately noticed the scars and wounds the man had across his arms.

"Aicker! Aicker Phalanx! Come out, you pathetic monkey! I'm not done with you yet!" were the wounded man's words.

Before Eric could call out to him, a young man about the same age as the High Wizard that helped him earlier jumped out of nowhere and kicked the wounded man on the back with tremendous force. He seemed to be very displeased of the situation, and kicked the man another time in the head. He landed on the other side of the clearing, and shouted at the wounded man as if he was saying goodbye.

"This place is not for me, Kier! It will never be! I can be strong on my own without following your pathetic rules and regulations! I am Aicker Phalanx! I am myself! I will follow my own path! Stay there and watch me rise up to the top, you crapgeezer!"

**Vanishing Logic – Second Phase of the Erasure**

Catastrophe, one of the deadliest weapons ever conceived, has finally been awakened due to the efforts of Lord Marcus Brifon. The Lord's motives remained shady all throughout the day, making one quick step after another. He made sure that anyone who opposed him will either be silent forever or dead instantly. He seemed to be acting for his own benefit and not for anybody else's, despite the fact that he always mentions Odin as his sovereign.

Feeling the restlessness of the sword itself, Marcus chose to ignore Catastrophe's tugs towards the port of Hugel. He knew that the sword can automatically detect a god nearby, and as far as his calculations went, Odin was supposedly far away. Only one god could be in Hugel right at that point, for the rest were sealed by the barrier. Marcus continued to restrain the sword, for any mistake will likely ruin his plans. Killing Loki as early as now would be a complete waste of time and effort.

Marcus then finished casting a "sliding" spell to immediately transport Catastrophe to Odin's whereabouts. He chanted as silently as he could, making sure that his technique will not be heard by anyone who managed to survive the cataclysm that has befallen Hugel by far. In an instant, Catastrophe was no longer in sight.

Meanwhile, along the shoreline of a deserted island located east of Hugel, a Valkyrie and a one-eyed god was still busy confronting each other regarding how the events that happened throughout the day should end. They had been tackling each other's viewpoints for quite some time, and no one seemed to be planning to give up. The one-eyed god however, seemed to have a trump card up his sleeve, and was still quietly waiting for the perfect moment to use it.

"A weapon capable of killing Loki, you say? I am in no position to even handle such a dangerous weapon. Besides, I have no reason to kill him." Randgris continued to stand her ground.

"In that case Randgris, I'll give you a reason…" Odin replied mockingly.

"What are you talking about? Everyone in Asgard knows that Loki will never harm anyone. He can get overly mischievous most of the time, but he never harmed anyone severely."

"I'll take your point, Randgris. However, I believe you knew Skogul?"

"…Let's not talk about her, please. We all know that she's dead. She died in the process of protecting Asgard from being ravaged by the forces of the Lord of the Dead."

"Exactly… I won't bring her name up if she's not relevant, anyway…"

"What are you implying?"

Odin was already laughing in his thoughts. He had managed to catch Randgris off guard. The Valkyrie was now in his clutches once again; free to follow any of his orders. All he had to do now was to give Randgris a little push at the back to make her act according to his plans.

"Guess whose fault it is why the Lord of the Dead ordered an all-out attack in Asgard…" Odin smirked.

Randgris wanted to reply, but felt a lump on her throat. She gulped and attempted to answer, but there was no voice coming out of her mouth. Her reaction was but a whimper that was followed by a muffled scream as she tried to wipe the tears that were flowing down her cheeks.

As Odin was about to approach Randgris to "console" her, a sword appeared in front of him. The sword was crazily emitting a dark and consuming aura. Odin instantly recognized the sword, as well as the man who managed to recreate it. He knew that he had won since the beginning.

"Randgris… I know it's difficult for you to handle Skogul's death. If you want to avenge her… then PLEASE take this sword to make the perpetrator pay for the life that was lost."

"I understand… I will follow your orders, then. If killing Loki is all that you wanted, then I'll gladly do it for you. With this sword, I will carry out your will."

Odin continued to laugh internally as he watched Randgris brace herself for the battle that was about to happen. He stared menacingly at the Valkyrie who was now clutching the sword's handle with all her might. He couldn't wait any longer.

As Odin basked in his victory over Randgris, an unknown force was still spreading from Thanatos Tower towards the farthest reaches of the Schwartzwelt republic. An inconceivable void was now making its way to Hugel.

Grey Emyll Foxx, standing at the highest point of the ancient tower where the void started, was busy watching two winged creatures trying to escape from their entangled state within the void. He had no intention of helping the said creatures, and got tired of watching them struggle for their lives. He knew that sooner or later, the creatures will be able to escape as long as their will was strong enough.

For the meantime though, Grey didn't care. Feeling a little amused by watching the ravens of Odin trying to escape the clutches of the dimensional void, Grey raised his weapon once again and slashed in midair.

A few seconds later, another enormous hole was forming near the tower, threatening to engulf the ravens in one full sweep.

**Shrinking Chances – Third Phase of the Erasure**

Arriving in the village's infirmary after a few minutes after leaving Loki at the port, Arnulf started searching for Audrey. Earlier, he had decided to leave Audrey for the meantime so that both of them could rest and attend to whatever business they had. However, today was not a day to simply sit idly by. Arnulf now knew the consequence if he slacked off. He had little time left to escape from the disastrous events that were about to engulf Hugel.

The Ether Brake rushed along the infirmary's corridors, looking for any sign of his lover, but to no avail. Knowing Audrey's personality, Arnulf knew where to finish his search. He went to the infirmary's supply depot and immediately found Audrey rummaging through the supplies of food and medicine. While it seemed like another coincidence that they were both alone once again, it was Audrey that first pointed out that there was nobody in the infirmary all this time.

It took Arnulf another second to realize that there was no one present along the supposed busy streets of Hugel as well.

Arnulf immediately took Audrey's hand and dashed outside where Shahiv and Braer were waiting with Sleipnir. Without further ado, the group went on towards the now-deserted locomotive station. There were no passengers to be seen within the vicinity of the area as well.

Shahiv and Braer rushed towards the rails and started tinkering with the nearest locomotive they could find. They also knew that there was but little time left for their group to escape. They both hated running away from any challenging adventure… but this was way too different.

Stranded near the Ore Refining Facility on the other hand were Althii, Eilmahn, and Vhie. Instead of quarreling and bickering, the three were surprisingly quiet. While getting defeated by the ravens of Odin was a good reason, there was more to their silence than simply ruminating about the previous events.

Someone was with the trio. While Vhie and Eilmahn didn't recognize the person talking to them, Althii's reaction was noticeably different. Instead of being bossy and inconsiderate, her persona instantly changed into that of a submissive one. It took Eilmahn and Vhie a few moments to realize that Althii was speaking to none other than Lieutenant Flireis, leader of the Hugel Engineering Facility expedition to extract Hetarium and convert it to a useful energy source.

"What are you talking about, Lieutenant? Why are you telling us to leave Hugel? Is something wrong? Is there anything I can do to help?" asked Althii.

"Althii, how many times do I have to explain? Just go and leave this place! No more questions! Time is running out as we speak! Just go! Head for the port and take the ships! Go to Izlude or anywhere far from here!" Flireis said.

Having no other choice but to follow the orders that had been given out to her, Althii then turned her back and faced the two "fugitives" that she was supposed to catch earlier during the day. It turned out that all of her actions were for nothing, and unnecessary to say the least.

Flireis left the trio without another word. She seemed to be in a hurry as well, which greatly baffled Althii. She had never seen the bespectacled Lieutenant look so worked up. She felt cold sweat dripping from her nape. Something felt really off.

Slowly paddling across the sea that separates Hugel and Odin's Temple on the other hand was none other than Loki.

"I knew this would happen…" Loki said, as if speaking to an invisible presence.

"Yes, I understand. Randgris… she has been deceived by Odin…"

Loki stared blankly forward, as if in a trance. Nobody from the outside world could disturb him while he was talking with a long-time friend.

"Yes, Thanatos… I will remember that. Thank you so much for reminding me. I am now ready to face her… no even Odin himself."

Loki kept on staring blankly on the horizon. He knew what was about to happen.

"If there was some other way to stop this… then it would be better. Flireis, I tried my best to help everyone. Please remember that…"

Loki took a deep breath, and took out a formless weapon from his coat. He sighed deeply, and began counting down. He knew that the time was almost up.

"Ten…"

"Nine…"

"Eight…"

"Seven…"

"Six…"

"Five…"

Even before Loki could finish counting, a woman clad in heavy armor instantly appeared in front of his boat. The woman was holding a sword that was crazily emanating a dark aura. Loki instantly recognized the weapon as well as the woman who appeared to confront him. He took in another breath and aimed for the woman's head.

**Bleeding Wounds – Fourth Phase of the Erasure**

Following the instructions of their Lieutenant, Savech and Siria boarded the nearest ship they could find near the port of Hugel. After making sure that everyone was accounted for, Savech maneuvered the ship and set sail towards Izlude. It only took him a few minutes to power up the ship's engines… as if he had done this before.

Jervy, Christine, and Ivan continued to gaze at the entirety of Hugel from the ship's deck. They knew that they could've done something decisive… something that could have stopped the upcoming events.

"Did we really do the right thing?" Jervy asked his friends. He received no reply for about a minute. Nobody even knew what was right and wrong at that point in time. What everyone knew was that they had to leave. No questions asked.

Jervy was about to ask another question when a horrific shockwave slammed through the ship and knocked everyone down. Christine, who was able to hold to one of the ship's nets, pointed out to everyone the presence of two beings facing each other at the horizon. While unable to fully view the details from their distance, she was sure that they were not human, for the dark auras that surrounded the beings were more than enough evidence for her. Finding the beings unfamiliar and dangerous, the group decided to turn and change their direction.

"…Jervy! Jervy! Where are you?"

Ivan's bloodcurdling scream only made the situation worse. Jervy was nowhere to be found on the ship's deck. The group rushed to find him at every possible corner of the ship where he could have been thrown off, until they inspected the sides and found the young apprentice being swept further away to a different direction.

Also getting hit by the shockwave near Hugel's shoreline were Althii, Vhie, and Eilmahn. They were about to board the nearest ship they could find from their location when the shockwave reached them. It only took a second for them to realize that the shockwave was strong enough to blow the ships on the harbor to bits.

Having their only chance of escaping getting destroyed in front of them was not enough to stop the group from trying one more time. It was at times like these when human beings who were pushed into a corner fight back with all their might.

Hearing the cries of Grand Pecos from behind the Shipping Facility, Eilmahn and the ladies rushed to secure the said animals and equip them with makeshift reins, similar to that of a Paladin's.

The group then sped of on the opposite direction, away from the dangerous beings they saw from the horizon.

Sighting a Valkyrie was in no way a good omen.

…Nor was finding a crazed Lord in the center of all the events even more fortunate. Flireis was about to learn everything she needed to know about the cataclysmic forces that had managed to find their ways in this solitary corner of Midgard.

Taking notice of the young Lieutenant from his location was none other than Lord Marcus. He was preparing to leave Hugel and disappear for a few years or so from the public's eyes to avoid suspicion, but he was abruptly apprehended by the bespectacled lady a few seconds before he finished chanting his return spells.

Flireis on the other hand, had no idea of how dangerous the old man was. Her short conversation with Loki earlier mentioned nothing about the Lord's involvement, but she knew that only people with exceptional willpower were able to survive the shockwaves earlier. There was no one left alive in Hugel except for those few men… and the Lord could be one of them. No, he was one of them.

"I believe you're about to ask me who I am, right? I am Lord Marcus Brifon, Odin's ultimate servant. If you're looking for all of those measly people, then I'm afraid they were all engulfed by the shockwaves earlier when I created Sylvia and Catastrophe."

"Fascinating… Tell me more." Flireis replied sarcastically.

Without another word, the Lieutenant dashed towards the Lord and prepared to pull out her rapier in one quick stroke. She was only a few centimeters away from the Lord's neck and was about to kill him when she felt her body succumb to a tremendous force that took her off balance immediately.

"Pathetic little worm. Know your place. On second thought… yes, my young lady… you can STAY there forever."

"What are you?"

Lord Marcus answered no more, and continued chanting as quietly as he could. Flireis continued to struggle to escape the force that bound her on the ground. She kept on blaming herself for being so careless.

Flireis final memory while being conscious was none other than a dark aura that engulfed her entire body down to a place where time and space didn't exist. Her efforts to save Hugel from annihilation were laid to waste in an instant.

"What did I do to deserve this?"

The Lieutenant was nowhere to be found on the place where she was supposedly bound. There was no trace of the Lord as well.

All that remained in Hugel was silence.

**Crawling Plague – Fifth Phase of the Erasure**

Loki stared calmly into the eyes of the armor-clad woman in front of him. He knew the woman quite well, and was also a friend to one of her precious comrades, Skogul. However, Skogul was no longer with both of them. Loki knew that Odin will apparently use Randgris' feelings about Skogul's death against him. There was no other reason he could possibly think of as a "valid" excuse for such an attack.

"I know why you're here, Randgris… Allow me to exp–"

"I have no time to hear the words of a murderer. Prepare to die here."

Randgris wasn't able to restrain herself any longer. She dashed towards Loki and swiped Catastrophe in each possible direction while making a storm of energy to blast out and instantly annihilate anything in her path.

Loki, who was now armed with his immaterial weapons and protected by Thor's Armor, decided to return each blow he received to Randgris in an effort to awaken her from her blind rage. He knew that talking to the Valkyrie will not be enough to stop the fight by all means. One of them needed to fall, and there was no alternative.

The Valkyrie continued on her relentless offensive, making sure that Loki won't be able to dodge.

Meanwhile, on the deserted island east of Hugel, there stood a frail girl who was on the verge of collapsing both physically and spiritually. Her earlier attempts to stop the events were now for naught, and all she had with her right now was nothing but blind faith and her own sense of direction, straying from her dogma and religion.

The girl was not alone, however… for behind her stood another being which had a misty composition. The being had been grinning maniacally all this time after he sent his loyal Valkyrie towards certain death. But he didn't care the least. He was still having fun, so everything was fair. There was nothing else to do in Asgard but to sit forever and watch humans die. It was a boring job for him. He needed a rush of adrenaline even for a short moment.

"Trying to escape the inevitable, Beatrice?"

"Stay away from me. You know very well that Freya will protect me at all costs."

"Oh? Then where is she then? Where is your god now?"

Before Beatrice could even react, Odin once again attempted to kill the Pope just for the fun of it. He was about to reach the girl when a gigantic, dark barrier appeared in between them, leaving Odin weakened for some odd reason.

"How can this be happening right now? What did you do to me, Beatrice?"

Odin looked around him. He knew that no power can exist that can stop and weaken him like this. But what was this dark barrier that kept on growing as if it was about to engulf him? He looked everywhere. Beatrice was left on the other side of the dark barrier, and the more it grew, the weaker Odin felt. He knew he wouldn't be able to last if he decided to stay.

"How can a void space exist at this instant? Ugh… this makes no sense! How can I… how can I use my powers if this is happening? Argh!"

Beatrice had no clue about the barrier that separated her and Odin, but one thing was for sure: She was alive.

"Randgris! I'm retreating back to Asgard! Stay here and kill Loki at all costs! I'm going to close all the gates for the safety of the other gods!"

"Liar…" Beatrice can only answer.

As the void spaces where creeping towards Hugel, Marcus was able to reach Thanatos Tower and head towards the final floor by warping. He had just finished cleaning up human mess earlier, and he decided to rest and to at least have a little chat with his personal assistant.

What utterly surprised the Lord was that his assistant was doing during his absence.

Swirling his blades in the air and slicing through the unstable barriers that were present at the final floor of Thanatos Tower, Grey Emyll Foxx was constantly making void spaces at an alarming rate.

"What is the meaning of this, Grey? All of your actions are not according to either mine or Odin's plans!"

Grey didn't respond at all. He kept on swirling his blades as if he was in a trance, and opened another void space large enough to engulf Hugel in one sitting.

"Stop that right now! I'm ordering you!"

Taking no notice of the Lord's orders, Grey jumped inside one of the void spaces and vanished from Midgard… away from humans who had the audacity to call themselves "civilized" when all they did was cheat, steal, and kill.

Instead of getting upset of the situation, though… Lord Marcus appeared to be amused with the sudden turn of events. Noticing how Grey managed to travel between dimensions fascinated him to no end.

"I can use this sometime in the future…"

**Blinding Truths – Sixth Phase of the Erasure**

Unable to make Randgris listen to him, Loki decided to disable her with a single shot. He waited for an opening in order to compensate for the distance between them. He had been dodging all this time, making sure that Randgris won't be able to do any damage to him. A slight nick from Catastrophe will likely kill him.

"You won't listen to me until I beat you, correct?"

The moment Randgris gasped for air, Loki immediately swooped in and gripped the Valkyrie by the neck. He deflected Catastrophe with his other hand, taking care that Randgris won't be able to swing it by any means possible.

"How could you kill her? How could you kill my best friend?"

"I didn't do anything! Will you please listen, Randgris?"

Ignoring Loki's plea, Randgris charged Catastrophe to an extent where Loki had to back off due to the extreme forces it was releasing. He also took care not to be caught by any of Catastrophe's deadly immaterial bullets.

"You can explain everything later, Loki. I will do this for Skogul… and myself."

As Randgris dashed forward to deal the killing blow, a large, dark space engulfed the area where the two were fighting. The two felt severely weakened, as if a force was pushing them downwards. The weight they were trying to bear was terribly unbearable. None of them were even able to lift a single finger.

Catastrophe, the god-killing weapon forged by Marcus earlier, wasn't able to keep up with the extreme force that the void space was exerting upon it. Once it had reached its limit, it had separated itself back to its initial state, Bloody Eater and the Twin Edges.

"I didn't kill anyone, Randgris… Skogul was left to die in that fight with the Lord of the Dead by none other than Odin himself. He left the scene and closed the gates of Asgard to "protect everyone". He was only concerned with his own safety. Now tell me, Randgris… where is he now?"

That was all that Randgris needed in order to wake up from her nightmarish decision to blindly follow her feelings.

"I'm a failure… I can't even see reason or logic when my emotions take over. How can I even redeem myself, Loki? I've been such a disgrace not only for Asgard… but to everyone else who got involved in these events."

"There's no need to worry about that for the meantime. We need to get out of this void space before it manages to engulf both of us into nowhere."

The void spaces that Grey created earlier had managed to grow into a size capable of engulfing Hugel in one quick swipe. As the dark, consuming force lowered itself to destroy anything in its path everyone who warned to leave earlier managed to escape.

Arnulf, Audrey, Shahiv, and Braer managed to repair a locomotive using Sleipnir's power minutes before the void space managed to destroy half of the station. They are now still running for their lives, racing against time to outrun the void space from catching up.

Althii, Eilmahn, and Vhie managed to head for the opposite direction aboard Grand Pecos. The said animals were able to sense the danger as well, and this made the group's escape a lot easier than everyone else's. Their direction suggested that they were heading back towards Einbroch.

Beatrice was left alone on the shoreline of Odin's Temple, peacefully watching the events that she tried to stop with all of her efforts. She wasn't able to shed a single tear, for all of her emotions seemed to have dried up after being attacked all throughout the day.

Freya watched in horror as well, but knew that she couldn't do anything to get through to her husband. She simply went back to her realm and prepared for Odin's return.

Loki and Randgris settled their differences and left the void space they were stuck in immediately. Their current whereabouts are unknown. But Loki's smile was visible before they left the void space. It appears that he was able to convince Randgris to fight for his side.

Lord Marcus was still fascinating himself with the internal structures of void spaces, and recorded any data he could possibly get from Grey's surprise.

A lot of people fell on that day, but their names won't be given anymore for the sake of respecting their brief existence. Either way, Odin enjoyed the spectacle while he was still on the roll.

Everyone managed to escape the tragedy that destroyed the entirety of Hugel, and sealed the area from outsiders for around three years or so. Many people claimed that the area had become a portal to reach Asgard effortlessly. Many people also claimed that the void space that was observed during that time can be used to replace Hetarium, or even Ymir's Heart as an energy source.

One of the survivors, an apprentice from Juno, was now watching in horror as he saw Hugel being engulfed by the void as he was swept further away in the sea.

Everyone managed to escape, except for a certain bespectacled Lieutenant who warned others of the impending danger.


	14. Epilogue

**Affect Circumplex**

Epilogue

**The Condition of Hugel, 24 Hours after the Erasure**

Fate had been kind to the twins named Nelsvee and Nellyne. After losing consciousness from the shockwaves that shook Hugel due to the creation of Sylvia and Catastrophe, they found themselves miraculously alive. There was no trace of any injury on their bodies, and their condition was totally normal.

Unbeknownst to the twins, a certain butler was responsible for reviving them. In reality, they should have been dead as well, but they have been given another chance by Loki himself, as his personal message to a certain Lieutenant that he promised –but failed- to save.

Finding the twins lying dead on the roadside earlier, Loki simply passed over and gave them enough vital energies to reawaken. It was a good thing that both of them managed to somehow survive the void that engulfed Hugel entirely, leaving only broken structures and unrecognizable sceneries.

Loki then took the twins to the infirmary and made sure that they had supplies to have for their own when they woke up. Without further ado, he left and headed south, far away from the broken village.

**?, ?'s Territory, 24 Hours after the Erasure**

A cry of despair filled the empty spaces where a certain bespectacled Lieutenant was currently enclosed.

"Loki… you promised me that you will save everyone. Everyone! How come you never came for me when I needed you? Why? I… I tried my hardest to save everyone… but I wasn't even able to save myself! How could you leave me like that?"

"Are you afraid?" asked the voice to the Lieutenant. Flireis tried to search for its source. She needed help. She needed company. She needed someone to talk to in her current location… which was nowhere.

"I beg you… please help me. I have been betrayed by the people I trusted the most. I have been subjected to pain and suffering that I clearly did no deserve!"

"Everyone says that in the beginning, Lieutenant. It doesn't matter to me, though. What matters right now is that I get to enjoy my travels within this immense dimension."

"Who are you?"

"I'm Grey Emyll Foxx. Nice to meet you."

And in an instant, Flireis was able to escape from the darkness that she was stuck in, and was embraced by a man who consoled her immediately. Flireis decided to release her grief. Grey smiled menacingly as he watched the lady cry.

**Amatsu Shoreline, 48 Hours after the Erasure**

"I failed… I'm useless… I wasn't able to change anything at all… I'd rather just die. Please, great gods… just… let me… die."

Jervy closed his eyes and took another gasp as he lost his consciousness while resting on the shoreline of a land he never knew. His only memory before he fainted was that people were rushing towards him, speaking a language he had never heard before.

The only things he understood at that moment was that he was alive, alone, and useless.

"Damn it. Why am I alive?"

**A Certain Bar in Prontera, 4 Months after the Erasure**

Loki was dumbfounded the moment he found out that there was a human in existence that can manage to take him on and best him even on a duel. The said person was unlike any other person he had met over the past millennia, or ever since the creation of the worlds.

At first sight, the said person looked sweet and unnerving. She was supposed to be a typical Master Smith, surrounded by her friends – A muscular High Wizard, a dashing Arch Bishop – and her lover, a newly promoted commander who went by the name of Hyatt.

She was the embodiment of pure, unadulterated power.

She alone was able to take Loki down with a single strike. Unarmed.

"Cornelia… that… really… hurts…." Loki winced in pain after receiving a blow from the said Master Smith.

"Sorry about that Loki. Malchuz was my supposed target, but you came right in the middle!" Cornelia simply answered.

"Are you really that blind when you attack that muscular dork?" Loki asked.

"Hey, stop calling me that… don't you know that I'm the…" Malchuz protested, but was cut short as he felt a numbing sensation at his side.

"I admire your strength, Loki. Typically, one would immediately get knocked out when I hit them. I remember back then when my darling Hyatt tried to block my blow that was intended for Malchuz. He was asleep for 2 months." Cornelia said.

The door of the bar swung open violently, and from out of the blue, a small bag containing coins and other valuable jewels flew across the room and straight to the table where Cornelia was.

"I'm Red Viele'au Sylenfeit. I'm just paying my debt. Take it or leave it."


End file.
